Better Than Ezra
It’s certainly no surprise that this veteran group is from New Orleans, Louisiana, a city that has sent dozens of talented musical children into the world. It must be the air and water! The mix of people works so well with Better Than Ezra (analysis, emotion and rhythm/feel from the individuals) that it is hard to imagine they would put out a below-average record. So far, it hasn’t happened.
"Silly Fool" (artifakt, 2001 Fudge Records) is an intriguing song, with great synth sounds and comfortable rhythm that builds well to the end. This is something of intellectual rock. Nice vocals, by the way! This veteran indie/alternative rock band also put together a fine song in "Juicy," (Before The Robots, 2005 Artemis), which is blues in a way, but is also music to sway to - great combination. Most of the work is so simply done, with bass, drums and guitar, but the added keyboard sounds and background vocals hit the mark.
Always tapped as a rock/pop band, Better Than Ezra is the work of Kevin Griffin (vocals, guitar), tom Drummond (bass) and Travis McNabb (drums). As mentioned earlier, some of their early efforts were on Fudge Records, but the band’s current label is V2/Artemis. The group recently completed the Ezra Open (September), a celebrity golf tournament that raised funds for the rebuilding efforts in the Big Easy. Better Than Ezra will be at the New Orleans House of Blues in December (a limited engagement).
Tags: indie, music, independent music, indie music, better than ezra
Better Than Ezra are indeed better than most bands out there and produce some great sounding music. They will be around for a long time to come.
It’s great to see bands like this help out their community. New Orleans is and always will be a great music city and it was sad to see what happened with Hurricane Katrina.
It is sort of a trend now, new bands that try and sometimes succeed in getting famous online, such as in myspace, it’s a great way, I do not actually know Better Than Ezra, I went to their myspace and hear the song there, enjoyed it a lot, great song!
Better Than Ezra’s music has a positive bubbly beat. Even when the song takes on a mellow meaning or vocal they still incorporate a lively rhythm in the background. Better Than Ezra has the ability to bring across a message within their music that people will want to listen to even if the message may convey a solemn issue, because the beat is so pleasurable. And, of course, with their livelier songs it makes you get up and dance and feel good. Better Than Ezra is band that will be around for some time whether inspiring a message or movement.
What happened to Nawlins (as the locals say it) was dreadful but inevitable. The French founded it on the worst possible site (a bowl below sea level), and because local, state, and federal bean counters decided to invest as little in the levee system and drained the wetlands, well, it was bound to have a bad effect, no?
Anyway, Better than Ezra is all right. I like their song “Silly Fools,” and any band that has an album titled Before the Robots is pretty damn cool. Plus yeah, I also think they have good community attitudes.
I will always love “Good” by Better Than Ezra. It brings back memories every time I hear it. It’s such a bubbly feel good song but at the same time it is unique. Anyways, seems as if these guys have been going strong for a quite a while now. I am definitely enjoying their new track “Juicy”. They are going back to what I have always loved about them, and throwing in some awesome N’Awlins sounding guitar riffs.