Up From Below

A hippy, folk-rock Arcade Fire. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are one of these new, gigantic indie superbands (there are 12 of them!) in the vein of Canadian indie heroes, Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene. Their sound is more retro than hip, though. Check out the photos in the booklet: ponchos, farming, tree climbing, beards, and hippy circles evoke the summer of love. The record blends 60s folk, psych, and pop with modern touches. This is an album of fun, breezy, innocent throwback pop rock. Recommended if you like Andrew Bird, Arcade Fire (have I mentioned them?), Polyphonic Spree, or the Grateful Dead. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are playing Treasure Island soon. No FCCs.

1. Stomping percussion, big strings, piano pop, has a 70s rock pop feel, midtempo, handclaps, gang backing vocals. (3:54)
2. More familiar pop, strained distant vocals, chorus with warm horns, catchy, dark bridge, female backing vocals. (3:50)
3. Folk acoustic strums, mellow but still poppy, airy, good atmosphere, more warm horns. (4:10)
4. Slower ballad, with muted strings and pianos, and a straight 60s melody, (4:32)
5. Almost a mariachi plod, strong backing vocals, pretty accessible. (3:44)
*6. Whistling opens, striking riff, country-esque vocal duet, jangly pianos, more horns, bobby, really catchy. (5:06)
*7. The sounds of wind open, light thump of bass drum, sadder little progression, totally spaced-out, dreamy backing vocals and chorus. Different but good. (4:30)
8. Finger snapping opens track, harmonica, slowmo pop, cascading strings, backing vocals. (3:51)
9. Falsetto vocals, airy horns, repetitive vocal melody, sounds like it came out of the 70s, maybe chamber pop? (5:07)
10. Grainy, slow, sort of a drunken, awkward melody. (2:53)
*11. Strained, intense Spanish vocals, epic lush track, with distorted guitar lines, pad synths, big horns. (5:16)
12. Sweet acoustic start, pretty, soft, sedate, a little lo-fi. Almost a guitar lullaby. (3:57)
*13. Warm, shimmering, pretty backing vocals, woodwinds, stays on the groove, definitely a Broken Social Scene feel. Messy, but somehow just right. Standout track. (6:16)