Wednesday, November 16, 2011

My First Earthquake Are Downstairs


The origin of My First Earthquake involves Google, Craigslist, high-paying IT jobs, Apple, technology, design, punk rock, and a love of pop music. Through all of that the four piece that became known as My First Earthquake manged to come together and gel as a unit while releasing an EP under the name of Tremors early in their career. Continuing on from the progress made during and after the recording of Tremorsthe band eventually locked itself away and spent six months writing and skyping in an effort to record their debut album. With the assistance of Anthony Molina from Mercury Rev and the power of the internets, Downstairs, was recently made a reality.

And what a reality it is. Upon listening to Downstairs, the first thing you take away from it is that My First Earthquake are a band that seems to have far too much fun. This is a group that truly loves what they're doing and as a result everything they do is incredibly infectious and packed to the gills with energy. What's that mean? Well that translates into Downstairsbeing a bubbly upbeat indie-synth-pop record that's just a little bit too excited for it's own good. This is a record with ADHD that barely has time to finish one song before they start the next. It's got places to go and people to meet. With barely a slow tempo song in site Downstairs will leave you out of breath and worn out and that's the way every pop record should be.

With huge choruses, multi-part harmonies, and a seductively sly sense of humor, My First Earthquake are one of the most fun bands I've heard in a long, long time. They embrace everything that's cool about their influences, rough them up a bit, and then add their own special zing to them to come up with songs that refuse to leave you alone. Downstairsas a result is a stunningly good record from a super tight, technologically clued in, slightly sarcastic band that knows how to have a good time and is pretty determined to make sure you do to.

Downstairs is a kinetic record that never falls off course. It's ten songs strike on all cylinders and throw you around like a football in a game of keep-away. My First Earthquake have done an exceptional job of creating a blast of pop that will linger on long after the record comes to a close and for that I thank them. From the spot on cynicism of "Cool, in the Cool Way," to the slightly pervy "Meat Pies," Downstairs will make you laugh, dance, and sing along and for indie rock that's a pretty darn good accomplishment. This record is without a doubt one of my favorites of 2009.

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