Review: Evangelicals | So Gone [MP3s]

Perhaps because of the band's name, we keep waiting to have some sort of larger revelation about Evangelicals' very engaging set So Gone. But besides thoughts along the lines of "damn, this is really good," this is the best we can do right now: geography and notoriety make The Flaming Lips an obvious referent for the music of Evangelicals. One listen to the latter band's tune "Another Day (And Yoor Still Knocked Out)" or the deleriously enjoyable "Here Comes Trouble" makes that apparent. However, we think fellow Oklahomans Evangelicals' free-wheeling, everywhere-at-once compositions and pop vocals also suggest a kinship with contemporaries such as Islands as well as indie pop legends Eggs. Evangelicals' appropriated AM Gold sounds (as heard in "Diving," for example) give a perceptible nod to the pop that likely influenced Eggs; the "ahs" of "Hello Jenn, I'm A Mess" (which is currently streaming at the band's MySpace hacienda along with "Diving" here) sound almost lifted off of Eggs' Bruiser.

While Eggs, the Lips and Evangelicals all have an affinity for pastiche, the sonic truth about Evangelicals probably lies somewhere betwixt and between the aforementioned acts. Evangelicals' So Gone, released by Misra June 6, seems pulled almost fully formed from band principal Josh Jones' head. Over the course of about a year Mr. Jones and his cohorts (drummer Austin Stephens and Kyle Davis) recorded So Gone (and much of an unreleased follow-up) and played 40 shows. The record is a kaleidoscopic ride across daisy-chained hooks and imaginative production. The band is currently touring with Swedish shoegazers Serena Maneesh, but we think a more appropriate tour partner would be the more sonically left-field Icy Demons. We guess beggars can't be choosers. Anyway, check out the tour dates and two MP3s linked below.

Evangelicals -- "Here Comes Trouble" -- So Gone
Evangelicals -- "Another Day (And Yoor Still Knocked Out)" -- So Gone

[buy So Gone from Insound here]

09/07 -- Washington DC -- Warehouse Next Door
09/08 -- New York NY -- Bowery Ballroom
09/09 -- Brooklyn NY -- Sound Fix Records
09/10 -- Boston MA -- The Middle East
09/12 -- Montreal QC -- Main Hall
09/13 -- Toronto ON -- Lee’s Palace
09/15 -- Oklahoma City OK -- Zoo Ampitheater
09/16 -- Minneapolis MN -- 7th St. Entry
09/19 -- Seattle WA -- Neumos
09/20 -- Portland OR -- Berbati's Pan
09/21 -- San Francisco CA -- Bottom of the Hill
09/22 -- Pomona CA -- Glass House
09/23 -- West Hollywood CA -- Troubadour
09/26 -- Denver CO -- Larimer Lounge
09/27 -- Lawrence KS -- Bottleneck
09/28 -- Denton TX -- Rubber Gloves
09/29 -- Dallas TX -- Good Records
09/30 -- Houston TX -- Proletariat
10/01 -- New Orleans LA -- Republic
10/02 -- Atlanta GA -- Drunken Unicorn
10/03 -- Carrboro NC -- Cat's Cradle
10/04 -- Falls Chruch VA -- State Theatre
10/09 -- Columbus OH -- Andyman's Treehouse
10/10 -- Grand Rapids MI -- The Intersection
10/11 -- Dayton OH -- The Roi
10/12 -- Bloomington IN -- The Hospital
10/13 -- Chicago IL -- Schubas
10/20 -- Norman OK -- Opolis
10/21 -- Austin TX -- Emo's