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SINOMBRE Falling in Love with Gravity (Self-released) Sinombre's secret weapon is their uncanny ability to fuse melodic aggression with subdued whispers of melancholia. On the trio's EP, Falling in Love with Gravity, a quiet calm lurks within the confines of singer Gabriella Marks's carnal spirit, as her vocals dance around pristine guitar chords before jutting out in sprightly dashes of frenzied treble. Sinombre's seductive vitality brings to mind a mild-mannered Corin Tucker toying with the rhythm section of Autoclave — a potent concoction that digs deep into its punk leanings while embracing its pop reservations. The band's method for developing their songs is also striking — each song moves forward in an organic fashion and builds off the energy extracted from the previous one. During "Instrumental," the murmured hum of Andy Slopsema's bass and the fill-in-the-dots swagger of Matt Rickets on the drum kit, provide the perfect counterpoint to Marks's trickling guitar melodies before the song intensifies and segues into the fretful "Hearts and Minds." The same can be said with the EP's opening track, "Blue Water, Hard Landing," as Marks's ghostly coos float below the dim milieu patterned by Slopsema and Rickets, and then struggle to be heard over the bursts of dissonance that follow. (Sabbath) SINOMBRE March 24, 10 p.m. Edinburgh Castle 950 Geary, SF $5 (415) 885-4074 BRASS MONKEY BRASS BAND The Highest Good (Self-released) I love a good brass band. They're a welcome change from the hordes of obligatory vocals-guitar-bass-drums indie rock bands vying for attention around town these days. Brass Monkey Brass Band's most recent release, The Highest Good, is an upbeat party mix that tips its hat to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Dirty Dozen, and other New Orleans jazz legends, while also including a few covers by Led Zeppelin and the Troutman brothers of Zapp. But it's the Brass Monkey's chops and musical intuition that sets them apart from other party bands out there, as well as their direct and simple approach to making music — no fancy production work for this all-acoustic group. The driving grooves and infectiously energetic solos on tracks like "Monkonian Brasswa" and "Flank Steak" will make any rigid-legged hipster loosen up a bit. (Eliana Fiore) |
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