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Chris Clarke certainly knows a good thing when he hears it, and hearing Meadow Eliz sing for the first time was no exception. The story of these two came to be "Swimming in Speakers" is an adorable tale of happenstance and persistence, and could be a blog entry all it's own.
Over the past few months, I've gotten to know Chris quite a bit after falling quite hard for Swimming in Speakers' music. What catches you off-guard about them, is the underlining innocence beneath their extraordinary talent. If you listen to their EP, you'd never know that most of the tracks were captured in just a couple takes, which speaks volumes about a) how well they work together and b) how talented they are. From the undeniably catchy "Serve them Well" and "In Knowing," to the moody and insightful of "Near My Ear" and "Evergreen," these two have created a sound that is accessible to everyone.
Chris is an incredible multi-instrumentalist and uses Meadow's voice (we'll get into that in a moment) as the lead, often layered, never compromised. He knows exactly how to complement it, when to push other sounds, when to hold back. There's a rich, but delicate aspect to what they create, and I haven't quite figured out how they've achieved that. There's so much depth that it makes your head, well, swim. The effects he adds create a mood, but never take away from the focus of the songs. He and Meadow push each other and are musical siblings.
Meadow's darling voice, at one listen, is a drug. It turning the listener into putty as she bends, lifts, stabs, and caresses with her voice all so effortlessly. To compare her to Harriet Wheeler or Caroline Crawley is not a stretch in the least, and she might be better than both. She has that certain quality that separates her, a tonality that sets her apart from the many talented sirens out there. And, I'm told, she plays a hell of a guitar.
Both Chris and Meadow have a theater background. Both have a very distinct personality, even from each other. But they work frighteningly well together, and I hold great hope for a good career from them. Even more so, I cannot wait to see what they do live.
Listen: Swimming in Speakers - In Knowing
Swimming in Speakers on MySpace
I've been busy. Life has taken some interesting turns over the past eight months, and it's come to a head. I'm happy to announce our label launch showcase at Cameo Gallery on Saturday, September 26.
Over the next few weeks, in addition to some interviews (O+S, Ume, A Million Years, and some others) I'm going to post a short write-up of the bands that will be playing at the show. Hope to see you there! This is the first of a few showcases we have over the next six months!
To do one a week, I had better start promoting the bands playing, beginning with internet phenom Swimming in Speakers, who is leaving the confines of upstate New York and playing their first live set together...
Pet Ghost Project
The Rest
The Hush Now
Meeting Of Important People
Swimming in Speakers
Hello, New York. I'm hoping you've had a bit of recovery time from APW last weekend (at least the first two days) because you have more shows to attend to this weekend. These are just a few of the many great artists to see around the city over the weekend.
As always, if you're playing a gig in New York and I haven't mentioned it, feel free to drop me an email. I hate to exclude anyone.
Thursday
Cursive, and The Love Language at Maxwell's (Hoboken)
Listen: Cursive - From the Hips
Listen: The Love Language - Lalita
Mark Kozelek at Music Hall of Williamsburg
Listen: Mark Kozelek - New Partner (Palace Music Cover)
Bad Veins, The Boxer Rebellion, and Now Now Every Children at Mercury Lounge
Listen: Bad Veins - Gold and Warm
Listen: The Boxer Rebellion - Misplaced
Listen: Now, Now Every Children - Sleep Through Summer
Friday
Finding Fiction at Cameo
Listen: Finding Fiction - I'll Buy
The Pernice Brothers at Bowery Ballroom
Listen: The Pernice Brothers - My So-Called Celibate Life
Deer Tick, and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at Prospect Park Bandshell
Listen: Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Paint it Black (Daytrotter Session)
Listen: Deer Tick - Hell on Earth
Free Energy at Mercury Lounge
Listen: Free Energy - Dream City
Saturday
Harvey Danger at The Bell House
Listen: Harvey Danger - Save it for Later (English Beat cover)
Sunday
Simian Mobile Disco, The Fiery Furnaces, and Dark Meat at Beacon Theater
Listen: Simian Mobile Disco - Sleep Deprivation
Listen: The Fiery Furnaces - The End is Near
Listen: Dark Meat - Well, Fuck You Then
Pet Ghost Project at Cameo
Listen: Pet Ghost Project - They Built a City in My Country Mind
I held off on this post when I learned that Meeting of Important People was playing a show with Ladybug Transistor at Union Hall. It's one thing to tout an album (which I've done quite frequently with MOIP, as I devoured the album after just one listen) and another to tell you what you you're in for for a live show. 
Seeing Meeting of Important People live allowed me to hear their influences more clearly, because when they played live, in one song, you could hear Brian Wilson or the Beatles, and the next would project a more raw, witty post-punk feel of say, Dead Milkmen. But it's all streamlined through a powerful indie-pop sound that's as catchy as anything I've heard this year. It was a set that left me wanting more and made me even more excited to have them back to New York for our showcase at Cameo. 
Listen: I Know Every Streeet
