The Vanderbuilts

‘Miguel’s Orchard’

Feb. 24

Music Label: Unsigned

4 out of 5 Decibels

Top track: ‘She Takes the Cake’

Sounds like: the love child of David Bowie and Bob Dylan

Five college kids with a violin and banjo make up The Vanderbuilts, a genre-bending indie-pop group. With their latest full-length album, ‘Miguel’s Orchard,’ the band continues to hone its offbeat musical approach that makes it weirdly wonderful.

Soon after entering the music scene in 2010, The Vanderbuilts won Syracuse University’s Battle of the Bands. Their popularity only grew with the release of their extended play ‘Far from Here’ in 2011, the world’s first introduction to their unique sound. The band is a pop, rock and folk hybrid. The combination of lead singer Sam Kogon’s distinctive singing style, light and catchy lyrics that will make a tween’s heart sing and folky instrumentation makes this band one of a kind.

The Vanderbuilts’ latest effort perfectly captures their quirky sensibilities. There’s no mention of who Miguel is and why his orchard is important, but the LP’s content is enough to forgive the obscure name. Filled with light and happy songs great for jamming along to, ‘Miguel’s Orchard’ showcases an interesting collection of both refined and grungy sounds.

The running theme throughout the LP seemed to be the joys of young love, and Kogon’s voice was the soundtrack. The bluesy edge of his voice is reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s slight moans in ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ and tops off the band’s folk appeal. However, he also has a wide vocal range, spanning from low hums to weird gargled yells that have David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ all over it.

Hearing ‘one, two, three’ at the start of ‘Scratch’ will make listeners forget they are listening to an album and transport them to a live performance. The band’s sound is a bit rough around the edges, but it seems to work. The quality of each recording has a vinyl sounding roughness that infuses their tunes with a gritty sound. This, combined with the sounds of violins, banjos and heavy drums gives their music the down-home feel of a classic jam session.

However, The Vanderbuilts also have plenty of mainstream appeal. Although their sounds are influenced by a variety of genres, each song is way too catchy and upbeat to not get stuck in one’s head. ‘Take A Train, Take A Plane’ is among its catchiest. Its chorus builds with drums and then tells a potential lover that they’ll have ‘to take a t-t-t-t-train’ to get away.

The band offered plenty of upbeat songs with its banjo beats and violin riffs, and even the tunes about lost love are danceable. The lyrics are simple and a little juvenile, but the band’s playfulness complements its cheery attitude. ‘She Takes the Cake’ is about a girl who will ‘take your money and kindly said f**k you,’ but its up-tempo beat and piano solo in the middle of the track add a sarcastically happy vibe to the tune.

Whether you call the band folk, rock, pop or a weird combination of the three, one can definitely call ‘Miguel’s Orchard’ a hit. The Vanderbuilts may need to throw in a few more banjo riffs and get some professional equipment before they’re on Coldplay’s level, but their conviction deserves to be recognized. The band pushes the boundaries of indie rock with its unique choice of instruments and style, offering a refreshing sound that diverges from the mainstream.

ieinyang@syr.edu

Published on February 27, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Ibet: ieinyang@syr.edu