I went to see Neon Indian do a free show at Governor’s Island the other night and stumbled across a very likeable opening band. Who were they? I didn’t know. I do know now, though, that they were the best of the four that opened.
While these nameless guys were clearly of the imitated indie pop persuasion, there was something unique about their sound, and that’s what made them so acoustically appealing. I noticed that within the catchiness there was versatility: tracks laden with craftiness, sweet, echoing vocals, bouncy beats and finger picking keyboard-guitar harmonies.
I later found out the unknown band was “Miniature Tigers,” on tour with their sophomore album.
Fortress, starts out with “Mansion of Misery,” a track that incorporates this said versatility with crescendos, percussions and pounding drums. However, the album’s versatility – yes, I repeated this word for a third time, and for a reason – can be both its success and downfall. Take for instance “Dark Tower,” a melodic song with pretty variations and swaying, emotional movement, and contrast it with the radically different “Gold Skull,” an appealing, electronically-embracing jam.
While both tracks are great in themselves, the shift in sounds is too abrupt. And this is continuous throughout the whole of the album. Flip-floppiness aside, I’m impressed by the music on an individual basis. There’s creativity contained within, and this band has something to look forward to.
Overall, the album’s influences are prominent: from the Dodos, to the Flaming Lips, to the Morning Benders, to Grizzly Bear, to… “insert-buzzed-indie-pop-band-here.” But that’s what makes them so likeable. When you listen to Miniature Tigers, you are drawn to something you like, even if you have heard it before. So you keep listening, because in the end, you just want to listen to some good music.
WATCH “Gold Skull” by Miniature Tigers:
