N is for The Night Marchers and The New Pornographers

By Gabriel

The Night Marchers

ot since the demise of Hot Snakes have I had more hope in music's future at the arrival of John Reis' new band, The Night Marchers. See You In Magic was the best album that I purchased in 2008. Reis–of Drive Like Jehu and Rocket from the Crypt fame–has a recognizable touch and sound in every production. I've never thought of myself as a big fan of punk or surf rock, but everything Reis does screams perfection. The guy just knows what rock is supposed to sound like and I totally dismiss the fact that it's kind of like greaser, SoCal, rockabilly punk. He focuses on making it guitar-driven and undistorted. Strip it down to the raw sounds and sing about babes, cars, dancing and kicking ass the way the originals did it. For more work by John Reis, see Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt, The Sultans, and Hot Snakes. The singer of Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes, Rick Froberg, shares a similar aesthetic although he's not the guitar virtuoso that Reis is. His band, Obits, is worth referencing to hear the differences when Reis is out of the picture.

The New Pornographers

SFW (Safe For Work). I learned about The New Pornographers from my buddy, Raf. 'Cans and Canucks come together for some swingin' pop songs that include two great solo artists, A.C. Newman and Neko Case (swoon). Dan Bejar is in the mix but I'd personally rather eat a bag of glass than listen to him sing. Based on what you'll hear, pop music seems more respectable when done honestly with a measurable amount of fun. Mass Romantic and Electric Version are solid albums and things seemed to change a bit with Twin Cinema. Challengers leaves you with a bland taste in your mouth if you've become used to the sugary bounce and chunk of the previous releases. The big attractions are Case and Newman who also have great releases of their own.