THE ISLES "Perfumed Lands"

The connotation "local" as in local bands has always seemed derogatory to me. I bet to most bands too. NYC bands don't seem to suffer from the tag as much, maybe the romantic notion of having a band in the biggest city in America warrants a bit more credit. The spotlight shines brightly here, but it's also a cruel and fickle one. If bands don't gain national notoriety within a short time, people seem to think something's wrong, while other cities nourish their babies and send them off all polished.

The Isles haven't been around all that long, they haven't had time to suffer the pitfalls of being a Brooklyn band, but their sound has certainly been mined previously. For the past few years, tons of other "local" bands either ape Joy Division/The Cure or Talking Heads/Blondie with unpalatable consequences. Few sound good. I seem to have no problem with, however, bands stealing the jangly Marr-esque guitar action. Seems more timeless? The only press I've read on the Isles are that they are Smiths clones. Not at all. Yes, they have the aforementioned Rickenbacker arpeggios, but I hear other "lost" classic bands from the mid-80's too like the Lucy Show, Let's Active, Style Council even. But indie because John Leckie didn't get to them in time. A Rough Trade band perhaps. 2006's The Railway Children with a pulsing bass that keeps you dancing. That's it.

Not so coincidentally, they've also found a way to have a release on a UK label, but not US yet. It IS 1986! Perfumed Lands is probably the best "local" release I've heard in some time. It's interesting. You might think you know what you are getting, but some of the songs take a bit of a turn, much to the listener's delight. Just when you are cursing them for ripping off a guitar line from "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now", they bust in an give you the unique and moody "Post Nobles".

The Isles play at Union Hall in Brooklyn with another favorite of mine, The Mugs, on Friday, August 18.

MAJOR ARCANA