Darker My Love
It seems the Dangerbird record label has captured a band that reproduces a touch of The Beatles and Mood Blues, what with the group’s Sergeant Pepper atmosphere on “Blue Day” (2008). Wait, just wait a minute…maybe that’s some of Guess Who….I don’t know.
This is some nice music. It’s beyond what most current groups are putting out. Band members Tim Presley (guitar/vocals), Rob Barbato (bass/vocals), Jared Everett (guitar), Will Canzoneri (organ/clavinet), and Andrew Granelli (drums) are now on a tour, beginning in L.A. and moving on to a couple of venues in San Francisco. It seems there will be a date or two outside the Golden State, maybe in Washington state and in Colorado. The latter date is at Red Rocks for the festival there in September.
Those who aren’t convinced by Darker My Love’s newest efforts might want to experience the Big Brother and the Holding Company, psychedelic sounds of “Helium Heels” (2006). From the same collection comes “Summer Is Here.” Listeners will get a bit quicker rhythm with this tune, but the feel is the same. The song takes this writer back to his youthful days trying to be like John, Paul and George, or maybe like Paul Revere and The Raiders.
Anyway, check ‘em out.
Tags: indie music, Darker My Love, independent music, music, indie
This band sounds like a cross between a 70s progressive outfit and Weezer…kind of, pfft, I can’t really describe it I guess, they’re just good. ‘Blue Day’ is a great tune. I love their image too, they’ve for the whole retro cool thing down.
I love these guys! I can definitely since a good portion of the Beatles in their songs, which makes me like them almost immediately. I’ve grown up in a family of Beatle-lovers, and though that legendary sound is hard to come by nowadays, especially in the Indie world, it looks like Darker My Love has found it. Two Ways Out is my favorite so far, but all of the others come at a very close second in terms how great they are to my ears. Great job in finding this band!
I, too, detect a semi-Beatles vibe, sort of like the Fab Four in their pre-Sgt. Pepper’s days, but the sound is almost reminiscent of The Byrds and even the more recent Oasis, a group which has been said to channel the Beatles a great deal. I also liked Two Ways Out immensely, and I wish that I had heard about Darker My Love before! Great article, by the way!
I can also hear a bit of that West Coast vibe, and they remind me just a little of the Beach boys too. I definitely give kudos to these guys for trying to bring music back to a better time and at the same time coming up with some original material.
Oh yeah. I forgot about the Beach Boys’ “Surfing” songs of the early to mid 1960s. Odd that I missed it, considering that I happen to like the group and in fact I heard them live on Miami Beach in the late 1980s.
And yes, it’s great to see that some artists do take pains to both revive an older style while adapting it to the 21st Century.
Darker My Love – “Two Ways Out” premiered on mtvU this week:
http://www.mtvu.com/music/video_premiere/darker_my_love/
This was a refreshing surprise. I didn’t know what to expect, but when I heard a little Beach Boys vibe I was sold on the spot with them. To say the least, I like them!
I forgot to mention that I like their name too. I’ve bookmarked their myspace page and plan on visiting it again in the near future.
Beatles, a tad bit of Beach Boys and Fab-4, I hear them all. This band has taken some great older sound and given it a refreshing twist. I see their style as stuck back in the 80’s some what and wish it matched more of their musical style. All in all I enjoyed the music and think this band will go far.