Bands today keep getting weirder and weirder. But sometimes with that weirdness comes a great appeal that makes a band seem unbelievably cool. Take the Flaming Lips, Arcade Fire, and the Partridge family, blend them together, and you may get somewhere close to the strange collective known as Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. Consisting of 10 members both male and female, the mastermind of the group, Edward Sharpe, is actually Alex Ebert, formerly of the group Ima Robot. The loss of his major label and a spark of love with fellow Magnetic Zero Jade Castrinos inspired Ebert to create this new group of freak-folk hippies and nomadic personalities. In the studio, the group accomplishes the same vintage sound of Dr. Dog and Drug Rug, but also experiments with synthesizers, horn sections, strings, and handclaps for an odd but seemingly natural sound. While only a handful of songs have been released by the band, they are at their best on the single "Home," which displays a hefty dose of whistling only to set up the wonderfully warm love lyrics including a chorus of "home is wherever I'm with you." The group may have already shown some strength in the studio, but the Edward Sharpe experience can only truly be had during a live show. Just as Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips crawls above his crowd in a human bubble and the Polyphonic Spree strangely impersonates a Jesus-Freak cult, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros bring extraordinary aspects to their concerts. Often shirtless, the dreadlocked Alex Ebert orchestrates his group of ten in an odd manner, incorporating theatrics and interacting with the audience. As Ebert may be strutting around stage like Mick Jagger, Castrinos may be tossing flowers into the crowd, but always evident is the love connection between the two, which is another aspect that helps to convey the "free love" attitude that is so strangely portrayed. This group is just getting on their feet, but are already receiving unbelievable praise from just about every source that has caught wind of them. The Magnetic Zeros have just embarked on a gigantic fall tour that will bring them all around the states, so if you have the opportunity, catch them while they're still playing small clubs.
The video below, set to the instrumental of their tune "Up From Below," gives a nice sense of their vintage qualities.
Here's a live take of "40 Day Dream" from the Regent Theatre.
www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/
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