There hasn’t been a band quite like The Americans in a long while. A long line of bands have tried their hand at retro ‘60s pop; that rich vein of groove and wistfulness originated by the likes of Berry Gordy’s Motown acts, and The Beatles’ string of number one singles. Sadly, in trying to bottle that lightning, those same bands (hands up, Magic Numbers) miss the point of that music – the brazen inventiveness and sonic explorations into the unknown. Thankfully for ears and attention spans everywhere, The Americans (currently unsigned) seem much more interested in innovation than veneration.
Appropriately enough, the band members hail from all corners of their home country (their Facebook page lists their hometown as “New York via Texas, LA, Colorado, Phili and Minnesota”). Let’s examine that line-up in full: band founder/leader Charlie Klarsfeld sings and plays guitar; Sissy Clemens sings and shakes her tambourine; Kyle Olson bangs the drums; there’s Corey Dozier on bass, Matt Chef on the keys and John Stanesco rocks the saxophone. That’s a lot of instruments in the mix.
They’re not fighting for room, though. On their newest single, ‘Requiem‘, The Americans’ sound is refreshingly tight and refined. Klarsfeld’s guitars evoke George Harrison’s signature tone, as well as his tasteful, never-waste-a-note approach to guitar solos. Kyle Olson’s drums have a powerful, commanding presence, steering the song with a steady hand (and foot). It’s a neatly crafted piece, and all the more effective and catchy for it.
The accompanying video is a feast for the eyes, full of blood and velvet and sumptuous shadows, wonderfully off-setting the fluid guitar hooks and gleeful keyboards. Sean Lennon makes an appearance, as well he should, having lent his production and vocal skills to the track. He provides a gentle, ghostly presence in voice as well as in character, affectionately handing a suicidal girl (actress Rebecca Dayan) a meat cleaver so she can set to work on her hand.
If that sounds more than a little odd, it’s hardly out of place in the visual narrative. The video centres on a series of increasingly grisly suicide attempts (an affectionate nod to Hal Ashby’s Harold and Maude), that never fail to raise a smile.
The Americans certainly spell out their influences, but wisely, they don’t rest on borrowed laurels; ‘Requiem‘ becomes more than the sum of its parts, drawing the listener in on the strength of a confident, distinctive sound and instantly singable, unpretentious lyrics.
Klarsfeld doesn’t so much approach lovelorn lyrics from a different angle, as much as he runs up and leapfrogs them from behind, reminding the pop world that musical heartache can sound original, even in today’s climate of assembly-line chart monstrosities. If the rest of their upcoming ‘White EP‘ delivers on the promise that ‘Requiem‘ makes, The Americans should be around a lot longer; all the better to charm and to fascinate with their soulful sounds.
To hear more from the band and catch up on all the latest news, head over to their Myspace page.
(Simon Moore)
