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The Bleachers

{Conjure} The Bleachers' second full-length starts with "Ice on the Equator," an opening track if there ever was one, and a strong indicator of the musical quality ahead: focused without anticipated structure, melodic minus the sugar, assertive sans aggression. Once the stomping bliss halts, an observation arises: The Bleachers can write a pop song, if not the shopping-mall variety. On 2006's delectably headswimming Suspicion, the band seemed eager to fully (even noisily) utilize all of its carefully stocked studio. With Conjure, it seems the musicians now are most careful about which of those instruments they choose; if certain songs are somewhat reminiscent of indie group Spoon, that's because The Bleachers have adopted the less-is-more approach, without paring things down to the bone. The experimentation more or less out of their system, they've become tighter and cleaner, their songs more concise -- the band as confident as ever. You can spot bits of Britpop and R&B throughout the album, and sometimes in the same song ("Time Travel"). The New Order-established, post-punk interlocking of guitar and bass surfaces more than once, too (best example: "Build an Army"). "Gargoyle" is pure R.E.M.-jangle joy; even the melancholy of the preceding "Stolen" sounds sweet and summery. I could write about every song, but I'm already crowding out the other band in this section -- this album is that good. As documented in the cover story (page 18), The Bleachers' next goal is aligning with a supportive record label. They can position themselves no better having just made an album as outstanding as Conjure.

(Available at www.bleachershq.com and www.myspace.com/thebleachers.)

Mike Prevatt, mprevatt@lvcitylife.com




The Bleachers (Joe Maloney, Marco Brizuela and David Hines) recorded and released their full-length debut album, Suspicion, to critical acclaim in print publications (Magnet, The Big Takeover, Spin) and music websites/blogs, while concurrently receiving college radio airplay nationwide. The Bleachers -- having written more than an album's worth of music during and after promoting Suspicion -- sequestered themselves in their studio (Six Of One) to record their second full-length album in the summer/fall of 2007. With recording completed, the band spent the early part of 2008 mixing and sequencing the songs which would comprise the new album. The end result is the 13-song album, Conjure. The band is currently recording songs for their third full-length album, earmarked for release in 2009.





The Big Takeover Magazine

- Paul Regelbrugge (The Big Takeover Magazine)







Las Vegas already lays claim to a few bands that have penetrated the mainstream consciousness of America, and if The Bleachers’ latest effort is any indication, our humble town will soon be able to add another name to the list. “Conjure,” The Bleachers’ second album, shows maturity and restraint while focusing their haunting melodic sound in new ways. “Ice on the Equator” is a controlled explosion of sound, like the timed detonations of a building being imploded. Each instrument comes in at just the right time to blow the listener away, with their signature stirring vocals soaring through as the dust settles. In the aftermath of the intro, “Build an Army” rises with purposeful rhythm, a droning hypnosis almost settling in were it not for the unexpected shifts in timing. The album’s murky atmosphere is brightened a bit by “Country House,” with a decidedly more mellow sound and swaying disposition. The core of the album is marked by “Skeleton” and “Skeleton,” twin tracks with very different sounds. A suspenseful mood pervades the former with sparse instrumentation creating the sense of an impending climax that never truly manifests. The latter “Skeleton” in contrast is much more stirring, with a simplistic melody reminiscent of a haunting tune in an old music box. “Zodiac” is another standout, featuring a more laid back rendering of their formula, densely layered with a touch of defeat. Conjure concludes with the instrumental “Rivalry,” a riveting denouement for the effective album that precedes it. What The Bleachers have conjured up with their latest album is nothing short of extraordinary. -Eric Alves (unlvrebelyell.com)

Discography //

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Conjure
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Suspicion
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Bleachers EP
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