Genders - EP (2012)

When the news broke that Portland quartet Youth were breaking up, my heart was broken. They had just released a pretty great EP and had already released one of my favorite songs ("Want You to Know") and suddenly that would be no more. However there was a bit of good news with the band, instead of one band Youth would be splitting into two: Maggie Morris, Stephen Leisy went on to form Genders drafting Katherine Paul and Matthew Hall  into the fold and Elec Morin would be setting out solo.

Considering the rather slow pacing of Youth's releases, I'm pretty impressed with the fact that Genders managed to put out an EP this year. The band formed in April and in this short 3 song EP have already managed to completely eclipse the potential and promise of their former band. Maggie's taken the helm and proves to be an excellent frontwoman. The EP may only be a small taste of the band at play (unless you're lucky enough to live on the northwest coast where you can catch the occasional live set) but it shows a versatility untapped in their previous incarnation. Sure there's the summer beach-rock that colored Youth's best songs and made June so fun but there's more than that at work here. From the very Givers-eque introduction of "Golden State" to the dark electro-pop lean of "Twin Peaks" (which sounds astonishingly similar to The Pass' "Without Warning")

The EP are three very different on Genders' psychedelic beachy pop rock an yet none of them seem at all out of place. Showing off varying skills without displacing any of the established others. Each are jams in their own way, from sort of back-beat heavy pop influence to straight-forward Bay area rock, each is handled in just the right way to make you love it. Who would've thought that a change in artistic direction was all Genders needed to kick it into high gear. While the lazy day summer rock of Youth was certainly pleasant and full of charm, the blistering tempi and tight-knit precision  are definite winners. On their EP, Genders show us all why they're worthy of sticking around. Capitalizing on their likes and what they learned in Youth and expanding it to reach a level of musicianship I was wholly unexpecting. Here's hoping there's more to come from Genders because anything else would be an utter crime.

Get a listen to their three-song EP and fall in love with Genders.

The Pass - "Without Warning"

The Pass is one of those bands that will forever be linked, in my memory at least, with We Listen For You. Perhaps because I first discovered them while attending We Listen For You's CMJ showcase or maybe because I then saw them again as the headliners of WLFY's Northside Festival showcase. One thing is clear though: Each time I saw them is pretty high up there with one of the most fun shows I've been to.

The Louisville foursome play the sort of music that everyone with even the slightest pop inklings should take note of. It's catchy, dance-inducing pop rock at its finest. They band are tight and their musical ideas are interesting. All in all, The Pass have certainly managed to earn their  place as one of my favorite live bands but with the release of their sophomore record Melt, they just might steal a slot in my favorite records of the year. At least judging from first single "Without Warning". 

"Without Warning" is a fun track that doesn't trade any musicianship to be so. There's a clarity of ideas that allows of easy consumption but it's by no means basic. It's an upbeat dance-pop jam where every part works toward making it one of catchiest, can't-put-down tracks in The Pass' catalog. If the rest of Melt is anything like "Without Warning" we should all be a little worried because it's all we'll be listening to. 

   Without Warning by The Pass