New Local Music: The Alarmists - “Rhyme & Reason”

Of the slew of new music releases that have either hit, or are set to hit, stores in the next month or two (a list of local luminaries that includes hip-hop duo Big Quarters, psych throwbacks Magic Castles, and nugazers Red Pens), The Alarmists’ forthcoming June release, The Overhead Left, is sure to be one of the most anticipated.

Left is the follow-up to 2007’s The Ghost and the Hired Gun, an album which was chock full of melodies in the best power-pop tradition (also, “Hired Gun” sounds like Tom Petty at his most world-weary…always a good thing).

But, in contrast to those rocking, steadily tempoed numbers, new song “Rhyme and Reason,” the first track to be previewed from Left, comes off more like a folk ballad given a boost of melodic, reverb-heavy guitars and ghostly atmospheric touches, like organ and, in the breakdown, falsettoed vocals. All in all, “Reason” boasts well for the rest of Left. Check it out at their MySpace page.

(Jon Graef)

Full Disclosure: a member of this blog has worked professionally with The Alarmists before, but this writer has neither a professional or personal relationship with the group.