This duo made of native Alaskans, whom now call Portland, Oregon home, might be the most under-rated twosome flying deftly under the radar of most music aficionados outside of the the Northwest today. A soft delivery with a delicately raw element to it conjures images of the Cold War Kids (yet different and much prettier sounding), slightly older Damien Rice, Nick Drake, or maybe even their Alaska-turned-Portland contemporaries, Day of Lions. Considering how relatively young in age these two are, they’ve certainly figured out what they’re doing and have nailed something undeniably beautiful, intentionally with a soft, old-timey feel to it.
The must listen song on this record is the lead track, Granny’s Song, which opens with a luminous repeating “oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh, oooh-ooooh” laying the groundwork for what just happens to be the only true pop-sounding song on the record. While I absolutely love this song and have already added it to all of my latest playlists, I can’t help but think that the “oooh oooh oooh” throughout sounds a little much like the Arcade Fire’s Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels). You know? Hmm… Definitely not a straight rip-off or anything like that, but suggestively close. And please note, this is no slam, but rather a compliment. I mean, come on, Bono, David Bowie, David Byrne, and Chris Martin have all hailed the Arcade Fire as the greatest band of our generation, or the greatest band in the world (so says Martin). If Nelson and Kelsey listen to the Arcade Fire, please allow me to applaud.
Another meticulously arranged song that will send you off to day dream of another time is No More. I’d be surprised if they don’t get a few She & Him comparisons on this one, with Kelsey Boyle lending her simple, alluring delivery, explaining to the listener why she’s sorry that her love just isn’t working out “no more”.
Interesting side note… Bassist for The Dimes, Ryan Johnston, first told me about this band nearly two years ago, when Old Believers singer/songwriter, Nelson Kempf, showed up at a weekly AMP (Artist Mentorship Program) meeting to learn what it was all about. So as it may be, I know all of The Dimes boys really dig this stuff. And apparently, Ryan “owns me” on this one. (inside joke)
In any event, Eight Golden Greats is a record that will undoubtedly land on many year end lists and I sincerely hope it breaks out more and gets the exposure it deserves. If this were the stock exchange and someone wanted an inside tip on an undervalued stock that has real potential of turning into a future blue chip, I’d tell you to invest in The Old Believers, no question.
Here’s a couple songs to make you a “believer”:
You should do whatever it takes to catch The Old Believers at one of their two upcoming dates at Holocene in Portland, Oregon on September 25th and again on October 8th. Sure to be more than worth the price of admission.
If you like what you hear, please support these artists and grab a copy of their new album, Eight Golden Greats. They even include a cute little souvenir on the inside) They also have websites, a Myspace page, and all that jazz at:
