Pieces Of The Puzzle (from The Onion/AV Club 1/13/2008)
American Princes
Years Of Operation 2003-present
Fits Between Kings Of Leon and The Dead Boys
Personal Correspondence About 10 years ago, my friend Jim Ridley—Nashville-based film critic and all-around Good Man—was relaxing in a coffee shop when his server recognized him and asked if he’d mind taking home a CD that the server had just recorded. The server’s name? Josh Rouse; and the album was Rouse’s debut LP Dressed Up Like Nebraska, a far more accomplished singer-songwriter collection than Jim was expecting. My closest similar experience has to do with American Princes, a Little Rock-based band whose guitarist attended a lecture I gave at a small private university in the town where I live. Afterward, he asked if he could send me some of his band’s music, and what he sent was American Princes’ self-released debut WE Are The People. (A cool Taxi Driver reference, by the way.) Unlike a lot of other discs pressed on me by eager young students, WE Are The People had dynamics, melodies, and real vision, blending southern rock with ‘70s gutter-punk. I was even more impressed with the band’s first “proper” album Little Spaces, which later got released on Yep Roc; and then I loved loved loved Less & Less, a great 2006 rock album that I’m betting very few of you heard. (Check out the opening song below.) American Princes are one of a number of southern bands—Kings Of Leon and Glossary also come to mind—integrating roots music into songs with more of a sonic kick and modernist outlook. They aren’t some Bloodshot band of phony shit-kickers, in other words. (More on that bias of mine in some future column.)
Enduring presence? Have I mentioned what a great record Less & Less is? The follow-up is due out this year, and if it matches or exceeds Less & Less, maybe the band will win some more converts. One downside to not reviewing new records this year is that I’ve lose a bully pulpit to evangelicize from. But then maybe the personal touch of the blog is better for some causes…I’m not sure I convinced too many to check out The Zincs last year based on my review.
-Noel Murray
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Summer Shows TBA
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