Artist Review: Raw Geronimo, Dream Fever
Artist: Raw Geronimo
Album: Dream Fever
Genre: Punk Pop / Experimental Surf Rock
RIYL: Roxy Music, Arcade Fire, Kate Bush
“Effortlessly bridging the unlikely musical gaps between the lush, ethereal, idiosyncratic nature of Kate Bush, the flirtatious punk pop of Bow Wow Wow and the corralling spirit and eclecticism of Roxy Music, Raw Geronimo is led by the industrious and spritely multi-instrumentalist Laena Geronimo.” This might be the most accurate press kit description I’ve ever read. LA-based Raw Geronimo is all those things, but most of all, the music and energy that lives in the sonic boom of this record is barely contained and raw in nature.
But this is not to give the impression that raw equals incoherent or sloppy. Think of it more as unbridled experimentalism wrapped up in a powerful pop punk package. There is a calculated cool here, one that smacks of veteran performers that belie the youth of the band’s members. The sometimes dissonant quality of tracks like “Bird Eye Bonsai” coexisting with the exuberantly catchy “Bitched.” There is an ambitious confidence at play here; and rather than sounding like a disjointed hybrid that swings too far stylistically from track to track, the material on Dream Fever is clearly connected, even on the first listen.
A song like “Chinatown” feels fresh, quirky and instantly accessible. So many of the instrumental choices on this record could lean toward campy, but they stop short of that. Instead the vintage quality of the guitars on “I Wouldn’t Mind” add volume and structure without straying from the aesthetic of the other material. “Fruit Tree” leaped out of the speakers with a buoyant energy that showcases the idiosyncratic and fun style of the entire band. “Pep Rally” is an indie music call to arms, complete with pulsating percussion and a memorable melody. “Manic Cruiser” and “Magnetic Love” are two other standout tracks that release a raw and rambunctious full band auditory assault.
The tracks on Dream Fever present a versatility and character that are too often missing from other releases. There is a dreamy and powerful interplay between the instrumentation and Laena’s irrepressible vocals. With this record, Raw Geronimo establish themselves as the new standard and a voice for innovation in the LA music scene. Their sound is unconventional, transcendental and fresh, and deserves a place on your playlists.
Raw Geronimo website: http://www.rawgeronimo.com/
(This originally appeared on Indie-Music.com at: http://www.indie-music.com/ee/index.php/blog/comments/review_raw_geronimo_dream_fever)
Album: Dream Fever
Genre: Punk Pop / Experimental Surf Rock
RIYL: Roxy Music, Arcade Fire, Kate Bush
“Effortlessly bridging the unlikely musical gaps between the lush, ethereal, idiosyncratic nature of Kate Bush, the flirtatious punk pop of Bow Wow Wow and the corralling spirit and eclecticism of Roxy Music, Raw Geronimo is led by the industrious and spritely multi-instrumentalist Laena Geronimo.” This might be the most accurate press kit description I’ve ever read. LA-based Raw Geronimo is all those things, but most of all, the music and energy that lives in the sonic boom of this record is barely contained and raw in nature.
But this is not to give the impression that raw equals incoherent or sloppy. Think of it more as unbridled experimentalism wrapped up in a powerful pop punk package. There is a calculated cool here, one that smacks of veteran performers that belie the youth of the band’s members. The sometimes dissonant quality of tracks like “Bird Eye Bonsai” coexisting with the exuberantly catchy “Bitched.” There is an ambitious confidence at play here; and rather than sounding like a disjointed hybrid that swings too far stylistically from track to track, the material on Dream Fever is clearly connected, even on the first listen.
A song like “Chinatown” feels fresh, quirky and instantly accessible. So many of the instrumental choices on this record could lean toward campy, but they stop short of that. Instead the vintage quality of the guitars on “I Wouldn’t Mind” add volume and structure without straying from the aesthetic of the other material. “Fruit Tree” leaped out of the speakers with a buoyant energy that showcases the idiosyncratic and fun style of the entire band. “Pep Rally” is an indie music call to arms, complete with pulsating percussion and a memorable melody. “Manic Cruiser” and “Magnetic Love” are two other standout tracks that release a raw and rambunctious full band auditory assault.
The tracks on Dream Fever present a versatility and character that are too often missing from other releases. There is a dreamy and powerful interplay between the instrumentation and Laena’s irrepressible vocals. With this record, Raw Geronimo establish themselves as the new standard and a voice for innovation in the LA music scene. Their sound is unconventional, transcendental and fresh, and deserves a place on your playlists.
Raw Geronimo website: http://www.rawgeronimo.com/
(This originally appeared on Indie-Music.com at: http://www.indie-music.com/ee/index.php/blog/comments/review_raw_geronimo_dream_fever)
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