Tuesday, April 20, 2010

They Suit the Mood Today

The Organics
Gray Horse (San Marcos), 4/17

Most legit bands sound overwhelmingly better in person than compressed and streaming online, but the divide for the Organics is especially dramatic. They sound mushy and indifferent in their recordings but on stage they take off like a jet plane, not especially nor unnecessarily loud but hugely together and able by their combined force to make folks move and dance to music that logically should be more difficult to follow. Good songwriting and good playing combine to make them an absolute rarity, a crowd-pleasing progressive rock band.

Their songs have crunchy guitars and driving drums, but rhythms and vocals often take right after swing, which explains the danceability. Their songs are very well-written, although they do tend to blend together as the band prevails upon their two best grooves, the swing and a 6/8 feel. I'd like them more if their guitar solos were underlaid with new rhythm parts (and time signatures!) and if there were fewer chords and more counterpoint from the second guitar. The drums and bass are strong -- the band sounds good, and doesn't give you a migraine while you try to appreciate them. Their ability to make novel grooves sound natural makes me glad they're together as a band.

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