Alex & the Anders

When Alex & the Anders first CD, Live (and under the influence), in the fall of 2009, was a good snapshot of a band that was still developing. The group had quickly built a loyal following with its raucous live shows and party-band persona.

Another year and a half of playing live shows hasn't really changed that much: the performances are just a rowdy as ever, with the band leading a celebration amongst its fans and any other unsuspecting bar patrons. What has changed, however, is the delivery -- at least to some degree.

The band, led by namesake Alex Munson, has become much tighter knit since the release of the live disc. Granted, a particularly boisterous and inebriated evening might see the band play fast and loose with the songs and set list, but there's no denying the act has finally found its identity and is playing to all its strengths.

One quick spin of the band's new studio album tells the story.

The fact that the band is far tighter and focused in its playing is immediately apparent. Blake Jarman on drums and Tucker Carter on bass prove to be an invaluable asset to The Anders as a great tag team and rhythm section that truly holds the sound together. Tomas Burkhart's harmonica playing takes the spotlight in many places, filling much of the space and giving the group sits very distinct sound.



Drink Up.
More importantly, however, the studio recordings show just how much Munson's songwriting has grown, even when singing what at first seem like silly drinking songs. If you listen a little closer, however, the true spirit of the band simmers just under the surface and reveals itself amidst the controlled chaos.

You see, from my experience, you can't just meet with one member of the band -- it's all or nothing. Whether it's meeting for a beer and short chat, discussing the new record, or just randomly running into one of the musicians at a show; if you see one of them, the others are sure to appear shortly.

The musicians may not be joined at the hip, but this is definitely a tight knit brotherhood. At times, it's hard to tell if the members are related by blood or fraternity as they complete each other's sentences and innately pick up a though where the other left off, usually without pause.

That connection and chemistry comes through loud and clear on the new album, which the band recorded at home and self-produced. Instead of sounding self-produced, however, the groups' singular vision (and Jarman's hand in mixing) yielded a focused representation of the band that lets each member both stand out at the appropriate times and melt into the unit in others. Most impressive is the fact that the band was able to catch its live energy and spirit, yet pull off and incredibly well produced recording without sterilizing the songs in the process.

Four songs carry over form the live EP, but each one gets a fresh treatment, which adds to the tune instead of making it feel recycled. "Fixing You" immediately stood out to my ears, with an added organ in the background and a clean mix. Elsewhere, and added violin line from Karen Naifeh-Harmon (of Larkin) or piano part, courtesy of GHOSTS' Garrett Weindorf (on "Desert Song") breathe a new life and energy into the arrangements.

Perhaps most telling, however, is the production on "Boom Boom." Although it can pass you by upon first listen, the song steps out of the shadows when listening through the entire disc, both because of the nearly haunting, reverb soaked guitar and harmonica lines and the darker lyrics. By the time the background vocals kick in and lead to an extended breakdown to close the song, you're being pulled into another dimension of Alex & the Anders.

"The biggest part we want to get across is this: A lot of serious shit has happened in the last few years and we've been through a lot," Munson said. Two members have gotten married, while another divorced and one of Munson's close friends committed suicide. "The point is you've got to make it through that somehow. Have a good time, surround yourself with good friends and have some fun."

And that's the true spirit that comes across in a band that's finally settling into its true identity. Sure, there's a party involved and that revelry will likely never fall far from the band's wake. There's a brotherhood here, however, and it comes through in everything from the subtleties of the lyrics to the way the members interact.

Of course, there's always room for silliness and that comes across as well in the closing track, "Looking for the Drumsticks." Mostly, though, the album reveals a band that's growing into the next stage of its career. Instead of coming off as an excuse to party, the party has become a by-product of the band's hard work.

Of course, the party will still be there, especially when the band celebrates the release of its new disc, Bar Punk Blues -- a title taken from Tucker Carter's pronouncement of the band's style -- at Crystal Pistol this Friday nig - Urban Tulsa Weekly

While some bands thrive in the studio, others show their true colors better on stage. When releasing a CD then, the challenge becomes how to best represent the band both to fans and new listeners. The answer, as simple as it may be, can also become a cliché. Yes, it's true: the live album is as common (or more so) than the greatest hits collection; and in many cases it serves as both.

Fortunately, one of the benefits of being an independent young band is being able to bend or break the implied "rules" of the record business. Do what you want, especially if it serves your greater agenda. This week, we've got a pair of live CD releases, both of which work for slightly different reasons.

If you haven't heard of Alex and the Anders yet, you must not be the partying type, for the gist of this group's show is the party. Describing the band is hard. On one hand, the group shares an irreverent and off-the-cuff attitude with duos like Tenacious D or Flight of the Conchords, but without the bitingly dry wit or psychedelic whimsy. On the other hand, A&A could be the folked up, alcoholic, white trash cousin of Tulsa psych-pop indie darlings, GHOSTS. (Sorry guys. How else am I supposed to classify a band that features a washboard front and center? This certainly isn't bluegrass...)

Classification isn't really important, however. The essential ingredient in Alex and the Anders is fun. Formed roughly two years ago, the group admittedly rarely rehearses, in part because that would take the fun out of the proceedings. The current lineup finally came together in November of 2008 as drummer Blake Jarman and bassist Tucker Carter locked in to complement harmonica/washboardist Tomas Burkhart and guitarist/leader Alex Munsen, and that's when the band really hit its stride.

"We felt like we had some momentum with the band before, but once Tucker and Blake joined, it just took off at 90 miles an hour," said Burkhart.

According to Jarman, the group does its best to draw the audience from the beginning. By the end of the night, if you've participated in the show at all, you'll likely be a part of the collective buzz.

Nevertheless, the band needs an introductory point and it's new EP, LIVE (and under the influence), is a near perfect jumping off point. In all honesty, most of the tunes are novelty and drinking tunes--song titles like "Drunk and Attainable" and "It's Cool to Be F***ed Up" pretty much say it all. Nevertheless, sometimes it's good to not take things so damn seriously, and Alex and the Anders will remind you of just that.

The group holds its release party for LIVE (and under the influence), at Arnie's Fri., Aug. 28.
Cover is $5 at the door and the party will undoubtedly shift quickly into high gear. The band will even be debuting its latest brainchild, the "Guitar/Beer Bong," with the audience taking hits as the band plays on. Just trust the band on this one and go with it. The show starts at 10pm and goes 'till they run everyone out.

Power Play

The argument for a live disc from Sam and the Stylees is another beast altogether. After all, the Stylees have already put out three solid studio discs and are inarguably the region's premier reggae band.

Indeed, Tulsa's "Best None of the Above" band never disappoints live, which is why the group is a perennial favorite around town and a repeat DFest headliner. As such, a live disc from the band seemed like a foregone conclusion to many. Once the group was ready to run with the idea however, it wasn't about to settle for a standard live disc. As such, Sam & the Stylees: LIVE! is the tour de force fans have come to expect, with a twist. Instead of just rolling out all of the band's favorites (which it does), the group also uses the forum to present six new songs and present a picture of not only where the group has been, but where it's headed.

No longer a strictly reggae band, The Stylees haven't forsaken their roots, but they've certainly embraced the rest of their influences. Anchored by Charles Butler's drumming, the group hits heavier than it did in the past and cuts a sharper groove. Hints of funk and pure rock sensibility shine through and show why the band isn't easily stereotyped.

Recorded this past March at CJ Maloney's in Broken Arrow, the group managed to draw an enthusiastic crowd, even on the weekend of a rare, late spring snowstorm. In spite of (or perhaps because of) the weather, the audience adds a palpable energy to the proceedings, even if mixed in subtly. Once again, kudos go to Hank Charles for an excellent recording, this time finding a way to highlight all of the individual performances.

If you only have one Stylees disc in your collection, this is the one to get. Following the tradition of the past three discs, it completes a cycle, opening with the closing track from Long Time to Neptune.

For those in the know, the band had this disc ready and in hand at DFest, but after closing out the night with a packed house on - Urban Tulsa Weekly c/o GK Hizer

Alex and the Anders

2009
I know that if you peruse my library long enough you'll find an occasional bit of music that is simply not chiptune OR nerdcore. But sitting on a new shelf above absolutely everything else now resides Alex and The Anders.

A bit of blues, a bit of blue grass and some nifty guitar blended together by a strong sense of oxymoronic lyrics that endlessly hammer fun straight into your very soul. Listening to this band has trapped me in an endless warm summer day driving around with the windows rolled down and the wind whipping through my hair. Every single track by this band, regardless of the lyrics being more blues based, seems to drag with it that sense of euphoria specially reserved for those really good days. It's simple. It's laid back. It's just music you can kick back and have fun with and let the rest of the world melt away while you escape into a world of harmonica and head bobbing beats.

I highly recommend listening to them right now. Don't just take my word for it.

-Brian - last.fm