I’m well aware that the world is an interconnected place, and that musical infusions and influences can be picked up from any genre, geography, era, or scene that takes an artists fancy. However, I still find it intriguing when a band reminds me of a style I associate with another place altogether. Not so much when a UK or European band exhibits a distinctly US vibe; after all, America is a massive and massively influential place, and where it goes, the rest of the world tends to follow. But when a band from Minnesota sounds like any number of very quintessentially British bands, and even a time and a place, it is a beautiful reminder of how music can surprise you and how technology has made the world one big music scene. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mostly Trees.
Moon Dogs, their latest album, is a beautiful connection of mood and melody, ranging from soft, ambient indie to strident, brit-pop-esque tunes and even the occasional anthemic moment. And, not wanting to press the point, but if you told me that the album was product of a nineties band who made their name on the iconic Manchester scene, I would give you a quizzical look and say, “Obviously, duh.”
“Absorb”, which kicks things off, has the same restraint and pop awareness, the gentle groove and understated grace that hallmarked bands such as Travis and Keane and, at the other end of the spectrum, “Electric Sheep” (hopefully a nod to my favourite sci-fi author Philip K Dick) is a real groover, but one that knows just when to switch the power on and off to create some brilliant dynamic and energy.
“If You Know” is whistful and reflective, a natural back street symphony or kitchen sink drama, small everyday lives turned into gently dramatic narratives, a song built on heart and honesty, and “I Don’t Care” wanders into rock territory, replete with slightly angular, bruised and abrasive guitar work but again with a masterful use of space to give the song character and class.
Where ever the band comes from doesn’t really matter, as the album is a brilliant celebration of the evolving indie sound, tipping its hat to the various sounds and styles that have powered the genre to the place that we find it today. What really matters is this is a collection of great songs delivered with poise and panache and that is all that counts.
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