The Aquarium | The Aquarium | Dischord

 

The Dischord scene was already moving out of the long shadow of Fugazi, but the debut from this coed D.C. duo is still a surprise. On an overdriven electric piano and an antique-sounding synth, front man Jason Hutto plays a sweet, propulsive psychedelic grind that often sounds as much like guitar as keys. Sometimes he doesn't seem to know exactly what he's doing, but he keeps it loose and fun, tripping his way into a precious party prance that keeps the songs aloft. Drummer Laura Harris may be the second coming of Unwound's Sara Lund--tight, authoritative, and judiciously pumped up with just-so syncopations, her playing can't not be called funky. (Sorry!) And though Hutto's voice makes him sound like a caricature of a plaintive indie-rock singer, his lyrics do justice to the Dischord badge--he's got a hippie heart pumping with punk determination.

 

Swan Island | The Centre Will Hold | Holocene

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http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/ten-under-the-radar/Content?oid=923625

Via: http://www.largeheartedboy.com/blog/archive/2009/07/shorties_1862.html