CMJ Preview: The Brunettes

In one week, the city gets a little more crazy. The CMJ Music Marathon is coming, featuring a staggering six day schedule. Last year was pretty intense, and that was only two nights. This year, I'm going to be doing coverage all week for UWIRE (thanks!), and I'm sure plenty of content will be appearing here. In the short time before, I'm going to attempt to discover some new bands, and post some blurbs for your listening discovery. Enjoy.

The Brunettes hail from New Zealand and craft sophisticated indie pop. The core of the group is singers Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield, and the two have remarkable chemistry throughout their most recent effort, Structure and Cosmetics. Opener "Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth" features a soaring background chorus ("B-A-B-Y") while the two trade lines, and it's this interaction that really distinguishes the album. "Obligatory Road Song" is a jangly, upbeat track that captures both the tempo and the breeziness of its title. "If You Were Alien" is an off-kilter love ballad that suits the band perfectly. Structure is a refreshing take on a saturated genre, and the band does a great job of expanding their pallet while keeping things pretty. I'll definitely be checking out their back catalogue.

The Brunettes play at Soundfix on October 19th and the Bowery Ballroom on October 20th.

MP3: The Brunettes - Small Town Crew
MySpace: The Brunettes
Official Site: The Brunettes