Oranger

A theme I know I am going to come back to over and over again is joy. Some music you listen to when you feel like smashing someone's face in, some music you listen to when you want to drift off to sleep. But my favorite type of music is stuff that connects to me and goes straight to my happy place. That sounds ridiculous, I know, but it's a natural high when natural highs are becoming increasingly scarce.

San Francisco's Oranger is one of those bands that make me happy. If you've ever seen them play live, the joy is overt and obvious. Singer Mike Drake always sounds like he's smiling when he's singing, and seeing him onstage bears that out. You'd be hard pressed to find a time when bassist Matt Harris isn't smiling. Keyboard ace Patrick Main should probably wear a helmet, the way he dances. All this comes through in the music. Of course it doesn't hurt that they are excellent musicians, that Drake writes melt-in-your-ears pop songs, and that Mike and Matt sound like they were created to sing harmonies together.

They've got a new album out, New Comes And Goes, and it was recorded a lot faster and dirtier than their previous three albums. Still sounds great, and holy shit do the new songs cook live. Having a full time second guitarist in Bob "Porcupine" Reed really fills out their sound, and new drummer John Hofer has aptly filled the imposing vacancy left by the departure of Mooniac Jim Lindsay. Go see 'em when they come to your town, go buy an album if they don't. They go well with beer, tequila, and dancing in place.



This cut was particularly choice live, and it's my favorite from the new album.

Fetch the mp3: RadioWave
http://www.oranger.net

Tony