Yet the band do actually possess a sense of the magical. Their song Chalk Stars is so beautiful that it transports you to a better place, with a charged simplicity of piano, guitars and xylophone slowly building up into a passionate instrumental crescendo half way through the song. Lead singer Richard Sauberlich has vocals not dissimilar to those soft, high, ethereal tones often associated with Band of Horses or Death Cab, and the heart-searing harmonies are not far removed from Sigur Ros. Whereas many other new bands at the minute try to grab attention with witty/crude/socially depricating lyrics, Animal Kingdom portray such innocence that you can't help but to be pulled to their music if only out of a sense of protection.
Their other tracks possess a slightly edgier sense of the mystical, with heavier guitars and drums playing a more prominent role. The band's distinctive 'other world' sound still remains the focus, and their music videos also reflect the refreshingly unconventional approach they seem to take to their work. But this is just another aspect that makes the band so appealing. They are the breath of fresh air that needs to be injected into the music scene at the minute, just as Radiohead did over a decade ago in amongst a myriad of boy bands, processed pop and incredibly dubious house music. Luckily the house scene is long gone, but in an industry struggling with sales and reinvention, bands with unique approaches such as Animal Kingdom could be just what is needed to help give it a good kick start.
http://www.weareanimalkingdom.com/
www.myspace.com/weareanimalkingdom
No comments:
Post a Comment