This is a bit atypical of the bands that we generally choose for Synthesis Band of the Day. No horn-rimmed glasses, waifish broads with ugly indie-rock haircuts, ‘roid-bicep hardcore meatheads, striped sweater wussies or epic Dungeons & Dragons progressive metalheads. No, Phredley brings the funk-rock.

In my fledgling college days, back when tie-dye wasn’t as vomitous and my roommate’s constant Phish-Grateful Dead-Phish musical rotation didn’t drive me completely bonkers, I would have broken my left leg to check out a band like Phredley. Now bad photoshop effects kinda irk me, patchouli oil makes me want to hurl and hippie funk in general just pisses me off. But not Phredley. They’s alright.

Based around a brother-sister duo (Phred Brown on Vocals, Guitar & Horns; Alesha Brown on Keys & Vocals) and a rhythm section (Paul Loos, Drums & Vocals; Samuel Tobias Winn, Bass & Vocals) Phredley lays down funk that is far closer to the heart of nearby Detroit than that of longhair revivalists in Colorado or Vermont. And when they stray toward the pop side of the spectrum, it comes across more as radio-friendly than looking for a parking lot miracle. More importantly (for me at least), their lyrics hold water. With the aforementioned hippie-funk enthusiasts, it’s most often the lyrics that drive me to enraged hysterics; Phredley uses some clever (or nearly clever) turns of phrase. No, Phred’s not Leonard Cohen by any means, but in a sometimes poppy, sometimes rocky funk quartet, it works. Their track “The Truth About Capricorns” also has some pretty, Beatelesque, tonally complex passages. If you’re a big fan of Ben Harper/Jack Johnson/Maroon 5, or your ’70s R&B records don’t have much dust on them, do yourself a favor and look into Phredley.

I saw this while perusing the Mesh blog, and given that I’ve been playing Pinback’s “Good To Sea” (off their last album, Autum of the Seraphs) on repeat, I thought I’d share this hilarious (and loving) spoof of Pinback, made by this Chicago dude.

If you love Pinback like I do, you’ll dig this. if you have no idea what a Pinback is, educate.

I’m a terrible dancer. My brain and body operate on two different wavelengths, but as I get older, I’m growing less and less likely to give a fuck. If you get a few Jameson on the rocks in me, I’m ready to go. And you’d better be wearing a cup.

It must be a sight to behold, and not in a good way. So I have to apologize to my coworkers if they’ve seen me chair bopping like a demoniacally possessed weeble-wobble lately. Good Shoes latest album Think Before You Speak holds frightening power over my groove thang.

Hailing from the South East UK, Good Shoes is a four-piece that plays criminally addictive pop/new wave. The album is due out in the States on March 18th from Brille records. Here’s a little snippet from the press release:

Formed in 2005, the last two years have been an absolute whirlwind for the four twenty-something lads of Good Shoes – singer/guitarist Rhys Jones, guitarist Steve Leach, drummer Tom Jones and bassist Joel Cox. After releasing two limited edition singles which sold out in a matter of days, Good Shoes took to the road in the UK, amassing a rabid fanbase in the wake of their frenzied live shows. Soon after, they ran off to Sweden to record Think Before You Speak with Tore Johansson & Per Sunding (Franz Ferdinand, The Cardigans, New Order). The record was released in the UK to widespread critical acclaim, resulting in a No. 1 single on the UK Indie Chart and subsequent tours with the likes of Maximo Park, Kaiser Chiefs and more, in addition to festival appearances at Glastonbury and Reading and Leeds. Reveling in the work of their contemporaries instead of the punk legends of yore (aspects of the Good Shoes sound remind us of mid-’90s Pacific Northwest standouts) has given the band a distinctive magic and freshness that has clearly struck a chord with a legion of music lovers and Myspace addicts who turn up religiously at the band’s shows.

Words are at a loss to describe how fresh and fun this album sounds, so instead, he’s a picture taken from the group’s MySpace page from a Good Shoes live show.

Everyone seems to be having themselves a merry time. Too merry in the case of the dude in the middle of the second row. Check out a stream of Think Before You Speak here to hear what me, that dude and the rest of us are all so jacked up about.

Local indie-rock sex icons Bear Hunter are heading out tomorrow to spread the love up the west coast. If you live in OR, WA or Northern California, check them out. Rumor has it they bought a 30 foot fire breathing robot just for this tour’s stage show, but my sources are less than credible.

Sep 14 2007 9:00P
Diablo’s Downtown Lounge with Three Guys That Paint and Redox Eugene, Oregon

Sep 15 2007 9:00P
Boundary Bay Brewery with The Loyal Sinners Bellingham, Washington

Sep 16 2007 9:00P
The Comet with Gozer (members of Vindaloo), Knives in the Attic and Preons Seattle, Washington

Sep 18 2007 8:00P
15th Street Pub with Dos Sorella Vancouver, Washington

Sep 19 2007 8:00P
Grapedrink Portland, Oregon

Sep 20 2007 9:00P
Red White & Brew with Belda Beast & History (Invades) Redding, California

Sep 21 2007 8:00P
The Stork Club with Electric Jellyfish, USA 4 LSD, Kreamy Lectric Santa & Saything Oakland, California

Sep 22 2007 9:00P
Old Ironsides with Trainwreck Revival Sacramento, California

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