AgesandAges - Alright You Restless (2011)

I stumbled upon Oregon music collective AgesandAges sort of by accident while looking at shows to go to in New York City. There's two ways I respond to typeset band names either 1) intense intrigue or b) irate indifference. AgesandAges just happened to pique my interest and listening to a few tunes on their Bandcamp, I decided to give their full length debut Alright You Restless a try. You might be asking yourself: What sets this Portland seven piece apart from the more popular, famous folk collective Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros? Sure there's a deep sense of community in their music but AgesandAges have a decidedly different energy and different presentation. AgesandAges excel in clustered vocal harmonies, joyful rapturous optimism, and a rather unexpected intensity.

Alright You Restless is a rather unique beast. It's a debut album that manages to stay astonishingly original and fresh even after repeated listens. It's rare for a band to be so strongly characterized on their first outing and yet AgesandAges manage to do so without appearing to try. Alright You Restless also manages to avoid the pitfalls of having such a large group of musicians featured on it. The melodies are simple and memorable and the lyrics clear. It's the kind of music that manages to be both fun and revitalizing at the same time. Give AgesandAges a listen with some tunes on their bandcamp.