Snizz has been championing these guys for years, and this is one case where his musical acumen was right on target. I still unabashedly adore their MTV hit "Popular," and the recently (and finally) re-released Proximity Effect has some absolutely fantastic tracks. Seems Seattle music icon Sean Nelson thought the same, as he helped sign the band to Barsuk for 2003's Let Go. I liked it immediately, but its grown on me over the course of the year like an infectious fungus. Aching-beautiful melodies, best exemplified by the album's best track, and one of my votes for song of the year. From "Blonde on Blonde":
"cats and dogs are coming down
14th street is gonna drown
everyone else rushing round
i've got blonde on blonde, on my portable stereo
its a lulllllaby, from a giant golden radio"
If you wrote the band off as a one hit wonder, as Mr Vallejos eloquently warned against in his review of Let Go (
http://nadamucho.feroxgroup.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=87), you're missing out on one of the best bands around. They play the Showbox twice next month. I'll be there.
