Algiers

“Western” indie rock, twangy with brushed drums, gut guitars and Mariachi/Norteno instruments here and there. This material has more mainstream “indie rock” leanings and should please fans of such, but also contains the trademark sounds that has made them famous. Tucson band made up of LA transplants that discovered “The Old Pueblo” by having met and played with native son Howe Gelb in his Giant Sand related projects. They’ve captured a lot of attention over the years by using Southwestern traditional instruments and players, even being dubbed “the” “southwest sound”. Lots of collaborations under their belts, their sound is typified by understated vocals, use of brushes on drums (but with a heavy snare beat) and a sizzle cymbal/high hat, gut stringed (“Spanish”) guitar and upright bass, vibes, even Mariachi trumpets. See also OP8, Friends of Dean Martinez, Giant Sand, The Band of Blacky Ranchette, Al Perry and the Cattle, and Howe Gelb (all projects they are related to) as well as Mick Harvey, The Triffids, Tarnation, early Cowboy Junkies.

1) (4:14) mid paced indie feel, slight minor keyed westernisms but mostly vocal-centric
2) (3:30) sounds like run of mill indie rock with rootsy sentiments
3) (4:14) heavy brushed snare beat with trademark tones appearing
4) (3:57) indie rock ballady, pleasant
5) (3:53) kinda cheesy romantic dark song
6) (3:42) title track, instrumental, soaring guitar and sexy beat, feels like the CD has finally started, that the first 5 songs were just some other opening band
7) (3:37) upbeat yet dark, pretty stuff
8) (4:23) quick shuffle beat, vocals in spanish, trumpets, decidedly southwestern
9) (2:33) dark and slower ballad, sparse with subtle vibes
10) (4:15) mariachi trumpets, vocals in Spanish (guest vocalist?), “indie-bolero”
11) (4:22) pretty ballad, chill and romantic, builds toward end, epic really
12) (3:54) trademark guitar, sizzle cymbal dark ballad with soaring pedal steel, all instruments