Sing the Body is an innovative songwriting and music-creating duo with a unique sound and even more unique setup that can best be appreciated live. They have the DIY garage-rock feel of the White Stripes and Black Keys, with an indie-pop sound that fans of Pinback and Deerhunter would appreciate. Onstage, they rely heavily on looping and effects pedals like El Ten Eleven, or local roots-reggae sensation Mike Love--perhaps to make up for the lack of bodies onstage, but also because they are constantly pushing the boundaries and discovering new ways to create sound. Some of my favorite bands have always been duos--Steely Dan, Zero 7, Simon and Garfunkel, even Flight of the Conchords. Sing the Body is just another one to add to my list; they really enforce my theory that "less is more."
When you have a band whose main selling point is their live performance, recording a solid EP can be problematic. But Sing the Body managed to pull it off, recording 7 of their best-loved songs at Soul Sound Studios in Kaneohe. The result? A legitimate album that will please local fans as well as hopefully introduce mainland indie music fans to Hawaii's talent.
The album opens up with "Make it Up," a feel-good, fan favorite formerly named "Eli's Hair." It's a solid opening track that makes you feel like you're on a drive the the North Shore for shave ice on a hot summer afternoon. People listening to the recorded track for the first time will probably think, "Hey, this is fun! Reminds me of Mumford & Sons." But anyone who's previously seen this song performed live may feel like their missing something. The truth is, they are. Here's a sneak peek:
Track 2 is "Sour," the album's first unofficial single and perhaps their most popular song. Definitely the hardest rocker on the album, featuring guitarist/vocalist Zack Shimizu using a steel slide for the ultimate blues-rock feel. Listeners will definitely hear the White Stripes/Black Keys influence on this one. What I like about the song is that its simplicity makes for a very good foundation for them to build on and get creative with. People who see this live may be treated to an experimental intro featuring Eli's mini-Korg keyboard, a gritty, dirty, hard-rocking outro (the closest you will get to replicating dubstep with live instruments,) or even a stripped-down bluesier version (especially if their friend SABRINA is in town!) Well, on the album version you get none of that. What you do get is a solid, studio-recorded single featuring Max Benoit of Kings of Spade on bass. It's okay, though. It leaves the fans wanting more when they see them live. Sounds something like this:
After the first two songs, Sing the Body tones it down some, with "Yama." "Yama" is Japanese for "mountain," and that's exactly what you feel as you listen to the song: scaling a majestic mountain, watching the sun rise over head and looking down at the rest of the world below. This track features an ethereal vocal intro and beautiful slack key guitar work and harmonics by Shimizu, all of which add to the feel of the song.
Things get fun again with track 4, "Looking for You Once." A cute song about old love back when it was still young and innocent ("well some years have passed us by/since the days we couldn't drive/since they days we couldn't lie down.") Scat singing, a walking bass line, people screaming "Oh! Ho! Hey!" in the background...it's impossible not to smile when listening to this track.
"Ruby Sun" follows. This song is one of my personal favorites. It was the first song I ever heard them play live, and unlike "Sour," this song hasn't changed much over it's lifetime. I would call this track the most definitive Sing the Body song--the one song I would play for someone I was trying to sell the band to. It's got a great post-punk indie feel, anthem-worthy lyrics about living in the moment, a great buildup to an epic chorus featuring a distorted acoustic guitar, and the best part of all: Oguma's kick-pedal tambourine.
The album slows down siginificantly with "Never Thought," a beautiful ballad and standout track on the album. It's a bittersweet song about impending loss of love ("Time will pass and I will be gone, you see/and all I've done and ever did is memory/so please don't forget about me..."). Anyone who's ever been afraid to eventually lose someone they love can relate to Shimizu's honest lyrics, and you can hear the plaintive pain and inflection in his voice...almost enough to make you cry. After the guitar solo comes a catharsis of sound, a moment of silence, and a wonderful fingerpicking bit and new vocal part that sounds a little more optimistic...kind of like seeing the silver lining after the storm. You feel yourself marching out of the darkness with your head held a little higher as Oguma's drum beat leads you out of this 8-minute journey through love, loss of love, and finally, hope of being okay again.
"Invent" finally closes with "The Hunt," a song inspired by a Twilight Zone episode of the same name. This song is different from the rest in the sense that it tells a story (that has already been written) from the third person, but it's an excellent narrative about man's eternal loyalty to his canine best friend. Featuring Shimizu on the ukulele, (this is the second time on the album the band gets to showcase their Hawaii roots) Benoit on the bass again, backing vocals by Sabrina, and piano by Mike Love, this song makes for the perfect album-ender, leaving listeners wanting more.
Speaking of wanting more, there are several ways fans and would-be fans can get their Sing the Body fix. "Invent" is now available on iTunes (link below,) and the band can be found performing around town quite often. Their official EP release party is scheduled for Saturday, February 10 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Waikiki.
Links
"Invent" on iTunes
Sing the Body on Facebook
Booking - Bran Apeles Management
