Michael Boyd - guitar; Nicolas diPierro - bass, vocals; Chris Powers - vocals, guitar; Bob Weir - drums
Influences
The Who, Big Star, Guided By Voices, Small Faces, The Kinks, Beatles, The Jam, Bowie, Harry Nilsson, Burt Bacharach, Brian Wilson, Velvet Underground, Elvis Costello, Badfinger, Stone Roses
Sounds Like
Diverse indie pop with modish leanings. File next to New Pornographers, The Who, Guided By Voices, The Wrens, Fountains of Wayne, The Kinks, Broken Social Scene, The Jam, Death Cab for Cutie.
Brooklyn’s Tide is a unique find in the overcrowded field of indie bands in New York City. At first glance, they perform a blend of power pop highlighting well written, radio ready songs. However, peeling off the first layer reveals an ambitious underbelly: adventurous and unyielding in the pursuit of new sonic and harmonic possibilities within the construct of the pop song.
To understand Tide’s particular brand of indie is to understand the influences of the group’s songwriter, Chris Powers. He grew up on a steady diet of 60’s pop music, from the mod sound of The Who and The Kinks, to the California pop of The Byrds and The Mamas & The Papas, to the early psychedelia of Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, to of course, The Beatles. These bands along with later discoveries, The Stones Roses and My Bloody Valentine, left an indelible mark and would form the foundation of his musical vision as he evolved into a songwriter. However, it was the late discovery of Pet Sounds that propelled Powers to a more studied approach to pop music. Tide is a distillation of all those influences.
The self-titled debut (to be released April 4 on Vibratone Records) was recorded piece meal from late 2004 through mid 2005. The band went through two drummers during the process, two mixing engineers, and remixed some of the songs several times, trying the patience of everyone involved. Thankfully engineer Caleb Sherman found the mixes that had been elluding them and the album was finished.
The result is an eclectic mix of indie pop laced with a cerebral atmosphere of highs and lows. The influences are there, but never worn on the sleeve. “Never Knows Your Name” and “Over Me” are both pure pop bliss, complete with sugary harmonies and sharp guitars. Gentle mid-tempo ballad “Today’s On Me” features guest vocalist, Audrey Kellar (aka Kit Kat Le Noir) from Les Sans Culottes. “Satellite” churns with pulsating guitars and a tribal rhythm section, and has a French horn solo courtesy of Catherine Lasota. Album closer “City Tonight” shifts from one sonic polar opposite to the other, from dreamy to brash and apocalyptic.
It's ambitious to try to cover this much ground in one album, let alone a debut album. They could have taken the easy route with a collection of pop songs that all vie with one another for a spot on your radio dial. Fortunately the high road was chosen and it makes for a very interesting ride indeed.
Hey everyone, I hope this finds you all well…
We're excited to announce that the new Meanwhiles record Slow Motion Summer in all it's bleary-eyed, indie-rock glory is now printed, packaged, produced, posted online, and in all ways.. available.
The CD features Alan Weatherhead playing pedal steel guitar and orchestral samples on “Whenever You Need Me,” and Nadine Khouri singing subway-tunnel echoed vocals on “Dreams From the Underground.”
Limited edition, hand painted CDs by Todd Allen, standard CDs in cases, high quality MP3 downloads and free listens available on our myspace page or at Meanwhiles. com through PayPal.
Those of you in NY can pick up a copy this Sunday at Rebar in DUMBO, Brooklyn where Todd and I will be playing an intimate set at 8pm.
Got some good things planned for the near future… videos, tours, collaborations, live MP3s, and new songs begging to be recorded. Check out Meanwhiles. com for details…
Thank you as always. We hope you can take a listen.
“Keep on the sunny side,”
Josh/Meanwhiles
We are heading into the studio with Nic Hard, producer of The Church, The Bravery, Aberdeen CIty, The Kin, etc. We will resurface sometime in May with some great new recordings!and a show at The Annex (May 24, 8 PM)!!! Until then...
Just a quick reminder : Hope to see you at The Annex (152 Orchard Street) this Thursday. We go on at 9:30 PM. If you live overseas, well... we can put you up for the night! After party at Cake Shop!
Dear Tide,
After Sunday's display, I believe "Tom" should be removed from your top friends, and Steve Perkins should be added.
"Someone forgot to put the step there"
With love,
Darlene
BEASLEY TO MAN CITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Catch Tide on the new radio show "Undiscovered" this Sunday night from 10-Midnight (Eastern time) on WAMX-FM in Huntington, WV or 11pm-1am (Eastern time) on WEGW-FM in Wheeling, WV.
Click here to listen online (look for the 'listen live' link).
