In a decade where the weirdness of bands such as the Flaming Lips and the Polyphonic Spree has been celebrated, it is sometimes difficult to tell when the band is a gimmick and when they are worth a listen. Upon my first sight of the super-strange nomadic collective of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, I wasn't sure which way to turn, but to avoid being close-minded, I knew I had to give them a try. What I found was a refreshing new sound that stems from the electricity between frontman Alex Ebert and his love interest Jade Castrinos.
The first track, "40 Day Dream" tears away from the freak-folk themes of the rest of the album, but is a great spark of energy to lead off the album. Filled with vibrant synthesizer and cheerful handclaps, the tune has already become one of the more popular ones off of the album. The first standout tune on the album comes with the title track "Up From Below." "When I was only five, my dad told me I died," are the lyrics that start off this tune, whose dark and sardonic words are a sharp contrast against the bright instrumental background. It is the perfect highway song, with spacey keyboards and echoey vocals. "Home" is the band's first single off of the album and has already been performed on Letterman and NPR among other television and radio programs. The crystal clear theme of the tune highlights the passionate love between Ebert and Castrinos. the jangly whistles of the beginning help to introduce the playfully coy lyrics that are traded between the two lead singers. Ten band members may seem excessive, but "Home" is a good representation of how each member plays a key contribution, whether it be with horns, background vocals, or various forms of percussion.
"Desert Song" and "Black Water" are a bit of a lull in the middle of the album, but they do a solid job of bridging the gap between "Home" and the most interesting track on the album, "Come In Please." This tune is a personal favorite because it is extremely different from every other song on the album. The tune is a soulful foot-stomper that showcases Ebert's haunting falsetto. The contribution of the horns, melded together with the combination of a thumping bass drum and various shakers concoct something strangely close to a dance beat. This track shows this band at their strongest and most experimental and is definitely one of the better tunes of 2009. "Brother" is a more raw cut, consisting mostly of Ebert belting heartfelt lyrics over an acoustic guitar. The song helps Ebert flex his muscles as a songwriter and reiterates the fact that this band is the real deal, not just a band built on image. The final track, "Om Nashi Me," is a bot of an odd selection to polish off the album. It at times feels a bit too experimental and overproduced, but it is long enough to have its respective high points.
Having only formed in early 2009, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros will be an interesting band to watch in 2010. With bands like MGMT and Passion Pit guiding the indie music scene into a more electronic-influenced realm, it is refreshing to experience and band like the Magnetic Zeros who can do so much with more acoustic options. Up From Below as a whole is a bit hit-and-miss, but with a much greater emphasis on the hit. The album is definitely one of the most interesting of 2009, and in my opinion, one of the best.
Check this performance from the NPR studio. The band does acoustic takes of "Janglin," "Home," and "40 Day Dream."
www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/
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