Man! Big time lull in new music as of late. I haven’t heard anything in a while that really got me excited. I sat down to write this week’s AOTW and felt a little lost. I wanted to write about the new ASAP Rocky record, but due to my prejudice towards modern rap, I hesitated getting the record and haven’t had enough time to have a fully formed opinion on it. SO I took to scrolling through my library in the god awful new iTunes interface. Nothing moved me. So I put it off. I sat at work, bumming that I couldn’t come up with anything; bumming that I was still stuck in my bullshit job. All around it was a real bad showing for old Kelly. When I get into this mode I start to feeling sorry for myself, so what do I do? I Google shows at venues in NYC that I won’t be able to go to. I look at all the cool shit I’m missing. This is just to torture myself. I don’t know why I do it. In doing this however, I learned that one of my favorite indie bands is playing a venue in Brooklyn that I’ve never been to, The Union Pool. Nearly every band that I’ve gotten into in the past 5 years has made a stop at the Union Pool out in Brooklyn. Every. Single. One. It’s like a right of passage. They just released a new single at the end of 2012, and for any of you New York readers, they play tonight at said Union Pool. This week’s ARTIST OF THE WEEK: Steel Phantoms.
In 1999 Steel Phantoms formed by childhood friends Yos Munro and former Islands drummer Aaron Harris in Brooklyn, NY. The two had been playing music together since they were twelve. Harris drums while Yos plays keys and guitar, the two of them share the vocal responsibilities. Where they soon added guitarist Jesse Newkirt. After the search for a bass player turned into what the band referred to as a “parade,” going through five of them in a year, the fellas decided to stick with being a stripped down trio. When they first arrived in New York, the guys didn’t have a whole lot of sway with venues or other local acts, so they used Aaron’s Islands connection to get their foot in the door. The need to name drop quickly went by the wayside as concertgoers and venue owners alike were introduced to Steel Phantoms’ energetic sound. As their locale presence grew, they released their first EP in 2010 titled EP.
EP pays homage to both punk and late 80’s proto punk at the same time. Harris’ nasally sing song mixed with Munro’s smooth baritone is a great blend. They remind me a bit of the Yardbirds with the instrumentals harking back to the New York Dolls. The song Evening Routine rips. Harris and Jessie lead the charge with fast paced drums and a pulsing lead guitar opening with a Walkmen-esque riff. The song reminds me a lot of another great post-punk trio called The Thermals, especially Harris’ voice. Check those guys out after you hear these here Steel Phantoms and you’ll see what I mean.
EPis great as it offers an 80’s vibe that is oft forgotten. When people bring up 80’s music, all they want to do is rip on Duran Duran and Flock of Seagulls, which is fair because they both sucked. The goddamn shame of it is this is not a representation of good 80’s music. Talking heads, Elvis Costello, The Violent Femmes, that is good 80’s music. This happens all to often with the medium. Eras of music are not remembered not for the best artists, but for the ones that irritatingly stick in your memory because of some bullshit haircut, or the fact that they used a keytar.
After the release of their first EP the band began touring around the US, and continued to play local shows in Brooklyn. The following year in 2011 they began prepping to make their second EP title Forer EP. This was the first music I got to hear from the Steel Phantoms. I picked it up in 2011 for free from their website, which you can still do if you click here. I love this EP. The songs each create a different mood, really showing the versatility of the band. It’s interesting getting the vocal switch from song to song. Yos and Harris’vocal abilities are so drastically different. Bedouin is a great example of Yos’ almost passive approach to vocals. When Yos is on the mic, the band becomes more Interpol than punk. I hope they don’t get pissed that I said that. His voice just reminds me of that dude.
In it’s entirety, The Forer EP is more complex musically. Not in they added more instruments or any fancy Pro Tool effects. They are simply progressing as musicians and I’m loving it. You can see this same growth in Harris’ track Pink Eye.
I’ve talked a lot about their voices here, but what I haven’t touched on is the guitar virtuoso that is Jesse Newkirk. His arrangements are ever shifting with the writing of Yos and Aaron. His abilities are at the forefront on Forer. It bothers me when indie rock guitarists try to do too much on more subdued songs. Newkirk doesn’t do this. He pulls the most out of every note.
In June of last year, the band announced that they would be releasing their first full-length album in 2013. They got us warmed up for that full length with the release of two new songs this last November. Curtain Call and Friend to Friend. Both songs are representative of the continued progress of the band as they refine their sound into something that will make one hell of a first record. Both of these songs are available for free download on their website as well.
I love catching bands like this on the come up. They are making great tunes and are more than happy to give them away for free, just to get a good “word of mouth” buzz going. I have high hopes these guys’ future. They’ve got huge talent and if they keep playing killer shows and making great tracks, then the sky’s the limit. I also hope they make it big so I can say I was into them way back when. That’s right. I’m gonna be that guy. The guy who says, “yeah they’re okay, their early stuff was waaaaay better.” Nah I’m just playin’. Word to the wise, don’t ever be that guy. That guy sucks ten dicks.
Download their shit for free. Listen to it. Spread the word. Look out for their debut LP.
Big hugs,
Kelly
 LINKS
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Steel Phantoms is a Brooklyn based rock band started by longtime friends Aaron Harris (formerly of Islands) and Yos Munro. I got the chance to listen to their EP (available on their bandcamp) a few (hundred) times; and its brilliant. Fans of Wolf Parade, Islands, and The Modern Lovers will really dig these guys. Pounding drums, piercing guitars, keyboard melodies, a musical feel that is fresh, and complete; its totally obvious these guys have been playing together for a long time.