When I first cranked up the Alaska via Portland duo, The Old Believers, I was reminded of a rustic version of the Rosebuds. I guess that was mainly because of the poppy male/female vocal dynamic strung into the opening track, but then it all changed when they poured it on with violins, horns, and a bathtub full of country reverb. The Old Believers truly succeed in creating old timey yet modern sounding pop songs out of sampled industrial bings and bongs paired with some mysterious synth, guitar, and moonlight. Though the songs are beautifully written, these tunes could easily fade to the back of my mind if it were not for this masterful arranging and production. One thing’s for sure, Nelson Kempf and Keeley Boyle have definitely made a believer out of me. Be sure to pick up their new LP, Eight Golden Greats on July 10th.
mp3: The Old Believers – Granny’s Song -> website -> buy
mp3: The Old Believers – That’s All
I first saw The Old Believers at Mississippi Pizza in Portland. I knew the instant that I heard them start that I would be a fan forever.