The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams
a few months back i was drawn in by a band name that sparked an internal struggle to realize whether it was the best or absolute worst i'd ever heard. today i still haven't quite figured it out, but i have grown to like them quite a bit - to the point that it's finally time for me to recommend them to you.

The Whitest Boy Alive is one of the many projects of Kings of Convenience's frontman Erlend Øye (html, yay). his voice is unmistakable but suits the very different instrumentals so well that at first, i couldn't be sure it was him - i spent some time merely relating the vocals to KoC and leaving it at that, saying, "ah yes, this vocalist has quite the similar talent, whaddayaknow." well, it's him, so i can't do that anymore.

The Whitest Boy Alive concentrates their efforts in Europe. this sounds like a funny thing to mention but it makes up some of their appeal to me; with audiences and fans concentrated mostly overseas, myspace messages in a plethora of languages and broken-up english, suddenly Øye and his three compadres Marcin Oz, Sebastian Maschat and Daniel Nentwig are even more comfortably foreign than their names suggested (which is astonishing). and there's a certain amount of glamour behind foreign things, European products and imports, those people that don't originate in the fifty states. there's a broader perspective, a world outside of our own boring and self-important one. there is the feeling of cozy secrecy, somewhat of an assurance that this isn't the next Lily Allen - i won't walk into a clothing store one day and groan at hearing music i've already known about and had the chance to overplay.

it's also rainy day, cloudy music. i swim in chemical particles of guitar - happy, poppy, unassuming, deliriously flip-flopping between twee and dance and a deep, emotional guitar. as the only thing they tend to mention about themselves, it used to be an electronic band, and slowly they replaced everything with real instruments, but they maintain a very electronic beat and simplicity that is compelling with the organic drums, bass, etc.

this is essentially a repost. but i love this - and it's so good for walking around in the fall - and i highly recommend the entire album.

::::these are my favorite tracks.
The Whitest Boy Alive - Inflation
WBA - Borders - man. i love his voice.

visit the hype for the sort of continuous buzz about all of this loveliness. also visit their myspace and say hullooo.

something new and exciting to come, no doubt.  shan  8:14 AM  |  view comments (0)