Wednesday, June 10, 2009

LA Love: The Rhone Occupation

Locals The Rhone Occupation are giving away their latest EP, Would It Kill You To Talk This Out, for free! It's a 5-song EP, and it tows the line between moody tunes, 60s folk-pop and modern indie rock.

Upon first hearing "I Know I Did You Wrong," I thought lead singer Jacob Summ
ers had pulled an Ursula on Thom Yorke's voicebox, and the title track also reminds me of "Exit Music (For A Film)." I can't quite figure out if the band's listening to a ton of The Bends or Hail to the Thief, but it doesn't take away from enjoying the songs, especially when the guitar effects go all haywire at the end of "I Know I Did You Wrong."

Upbeat, acoustic guitar-laden middle track "The Worst of Me" is a solid bridge to the final 2 songs, which are a healthy major key respite f
rom all the doom and gloom. Thom Yorke has left the building, and you're in Death Cab country now -- especially in "A Place," with its brightly chiming electric keys, arpeggiated Telecaster melody and steadfast shaker keeping time throughout. Sort of a "Technicolor Girls"-ish song, and it doesn't necessarily end up anywhere different than it started, but the journey is a nice sonic trip.

The EP closes out with "Stop," and I can't put my finger on exactly who it reminds me of, so I'm just gonna go with a general 60s folk sound. The song is played entirely on an acoustic and heavily chorused electric guitar, and could probably switch places with "A Place" for a perfectly flowing tracklist.

In an interview with local blog Radio Free Silverlake, Summers admitted that some folks have criticized the band for wearing their influences on their sleeve this time around, but I just think it's really cool that A) anyone can sound SO much like Thom Yorke and not fail at it, and B) that there's such a 180-degree turnaround halfway through. It's really like listening to 2 bands, or just a band with enough songwriting chops to move freely all across the board.

Take a listen below, and then visit The Rhone Occupation's official site to download your free copy of Would It Kill You To Talk This Out:

"I Know I Did You Wrong" - [mp3]
"A Place" - [mp3]

** Photo credit: Beth Stirnaman

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