Swing South: Generationals

It's Mardi Gras time and the Generationals are on tour bringing the NOLA love across the south. If you haven't heard of this band, you haven't been reading--Generationals' 2009 release Con Law was one of our faves from 2009.

Punchy soul-inflected dance rock. Southern tour dates (in Nashville tonight!) w/ Hacienda and Floating Action after the jump...


Feb 15 2010
8:00
The Basement w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Nashville, Tennessee

Feb 16 2010
8:00P
The Earl w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Atlanta, Georgia

Feb 17 2010
8:00P
The Charleston Pourhouse w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Charleston, SC, South Carolina

Feb 18 2010
8:00P
The Casbah at Tremont Music Hall w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Charlotte, North Carolina

Feb 19 2010
8:00P
Hub-Bub at The Showroom w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Spartanburg, South Carolina

Feb 21 2010
8:00P
Cider House w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Knoxville, Tennessee

Feb 22 2010
8:00P
The Broad Street Cafe w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Durham, North Carolina

Feb 23 2010
8:00P
The Grey Eagle *w/ Hacienda and Floating Action Asheville, North Carolina

More after the jump...

review: Con Law Generationals

Generationals
Con Law
Park The Van Records, 2009

Generationals: "When They Fight, They Fight"
Generationals: "Wildlife Sculpture"

No doubt that New Orleans has a rich musical tradition, unfortunately that tradition has rarely included good rock music. There are a lot of of awesome musicians in NOLA, but that rarely has translated into actual bands, rock bands that is. In fact it's kind of alarming to visit the Generationals MySpace page and have the words NEW ORLEANS rather than BROOKLYN or PORTLAND or SEATTLE scream out at you. But all that's alright, because this isn't NEW ORLEANS music really, not much bounce, nothing real jazzy, no CASH MONEY.

Ted Joyner and Grant Widner, the originators of Generationals, are formerly of the Baton Rouge -based The Eames Era. They are beneficiaries of fortuitous timing, running into Park The Van close to the same time that the once displaced label made their return to New Orleans. This is Park The Van's first New Orleans artist. And their faith is well-founded because Generationals have made a wonderful record. There is a vintage quality to Con Law, something like 60s pop, classy grooves, soul and triumphant horn solos with the crackle of modern indie rock say-speak and some tasteful beats.



My first inclination was to liken them to Spoon (modern rock horns!), Talking Heads (soft new wave!) and Vampire Weekend (whimsical dance-pop!). I guess that's right, but I still feel like something is missing with those comparisons, namely a vintage sensibility with arrangements and melody.

Their own underdog hit "When They Fight, They Fight" sounds a lot different than some other tracks on the record, but it possesses an unshakeable soulful groove, snappy percussion, the "I love you baby" chorus...I really think The Drifters and Same Cooke would be proud. Generationals has that irresistible but infectious indifference to SERIOUS indie rock. Whatever the heck that means. So there's a freedom to clap, to dance, to shake a hip, to find a GROOVE and GET IT ON.



That hit is followed by the great "Our Time 2 Shine" which I overlooked for its breeziness after many repeats of "When They Fight, They Fight." But now I'm convinced the alternating vocals and it's descriptions of going out on the town make this song just as swell. Very swell, indeed. The perfect song for relaxing AFTER the groove has been gotten. More great horn parts, nice alternating vocals, very laid-back, enough to make any 60's R&B hit-making factory jealous.

With these two songs in particular, there is a less is more quality--each sound, instrument, each beat seems planned for maximum impact. Their timing and rhythm here is impeccable and it carries to "Wildlife Sculpture," "Bobby Beale" and "Exterior Street Day" in particular.

With a fully rounded out lineup, Generationals are planning to hit the road hard. And they have an incredible sound to sell. If anyone is still missing a soundtrack to the summer, listen to Generationals now.
More after the jump...

Van Ride: Generationals team up w/ Park the Van; Free album stream

[bandcamp album=1209918256 size=grande bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB]

Pay special attention to: "Faces in the Dark" and "When They Fight, They Fight"

This is not an overstatement: Generationals are the best band I've heard today. All humor aside, that Generationals are newly signed to Park the Van Records makes it even sweeter, as that's the home of recent indie buzzmakers like Dr. Dog and The Spinto Band. That good indie rock is coming from New Orleans of all places is kind of surprising--for some reason the town of infinitely good jazz, blues and rap usually has a faulty record with their homegrown alt-rock set. Generationals, formerly of The Eames Era, are an exception to those rules.

But if anybody can find the gems, it's Park the Van. They grew Dr. Dog and Dr. Dog grew them. Not sure if in my time in NOLA pre-flood that my paths crossed with Park the Van, but ever since that time both eyes have to be on every release they put forth. The label moved back to New Orleans in Dec. 2008 after some time in exile in Philly and Generationals is one of the first results of that move back. Generationals have some classy mellow electro-pop with some distance to it--maybe something like Viva Voce, Vampire Weekend or another "V" band that I'm not thinking of right now. Park the Van is releasing their new album Con Law later this summer, but you have the best fortune ever: stream the whole album above and tour dates for Knoxville, Philly, Brooklyn and Chapel Hill are after the jump.
More after the jump...