The Five Mod Four
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The Five Mod Four

| INDIE

| INDIE
Band Alternative Pop

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

The best kept secret in music

Press


"Indie Pages"

Wow, I'm always really excited when a band this good appears on my desk from out of nowhere! I was already kind attracted to their name, so when I put this on and found that the music lived up to it, I was quite pleased! And then to find out that there's a cover of Orange Juice's "Poor Old Soul" a few more tracks in - surefire winner! Okay, so the band aren't quite as mod-influenced as their name would lead you to believe, but they do have a bit of Elvis Costello in them, and the Orange Juice cover gives away a little more. Really, though, their sound is a bit closer to the playful indie rock of Bishop Allen and Wimp Factor 14, coupled with some of the Pathways' jazziness in places. Sometimes they'll pull out all the stops in songs like "Lust" and the farfisa-infused "Somebody Failed", but you'll find more subdued songs like "The Laws We Break" and the strange instrumentation of "There Will Be No Cahoots". I'll have to see if I can find their earlier records now! - Indie Pages


"On Milwaukee"

12 low-fi pop numbers that recall the great Scottish Postcard Record bands of the late '70s and early '80s, like Aztec Camera and The Fire Engines. As well as Orange Juice, whose indie classic "Poor Old Soul" The Five Mod Four covers on Whiskers... the cover could be something of a Five Mod Four manifesto or statement of solidarity with those Scottish bands -- and others -- who had a knack for a melody and a catchy guitar figure but were content to get it down on tape in an honest, no-nonsense fashion rather than spend a lot of time polishing it and pushing it into the middle of the road.
That's exactly how Whiskers feels. Although the band's label says the disc "confidently asserts (the band's) adult voice," the music instead suggests that while Wojtasiak and company may have advanced, they haven't shed their desire to create immediate, fun music. - On Milwaukee


"KSCR Los Angeles"

[A] tremendously talented Milwaukee quartet…Their music is a lovely blend of catchy pop hooks and indie-rock instrumentation that runs the gamut of influences from Elvis Costello to the Talking Heads to Built to Spill.
“Make it Look Like A Robbery” is a wonderful amalgam of angular guitar hooks and a bright, vintage synthesizer that hangs throughout the song. The lyrics take a humorous spin on the boredoms of sex in a monogamous relationship. The delivery is as serious as it is facetious and fits the music perfectly. The song culminates in one hell of a catchy keyboard solo before the final outro.
The next number, “I Am a Commercial Kiss of Death,” features a groovy, upbeat bass line that couples with stop-and-go guitar lines to create an incredibly catchy, jangly musical pulse. The laid-back vocal effort and witty lyricism are reminiscent of Stephen Malkmus’s finest moments. Their characteristically playful and bitter lyrics shine through on this track, as a commitment-phobic lover insists to his partner that they’re “signing their life away… this contract’s the kiss of death.”
The remaining tracks on this recording continue to highlight the band’s penchant for clever, interesting songwriting as well as their intricate musicianship. Give a good listen to the guitar hooks on “I’m the Funniest Person You Know”—the frantic guitar playing becomes separated from the lackadaisical vocal melody, and they compliment each other perfectly. The final number is characterized by jangly guitar hooks and an infectious, dancy keyboard melody that marks a successful exploration of 1960s pop rock. Eclectic, catchy, and interesting, The Five Mod Four drop four excellent tunes on this split. - KSCR Los Angeles


"Actionman"

Cynical but spot on sense of humor…near-genius observations about love and life. - Actionman


"When Apes Ruled the Earth"

Is there some kind of water treatment plant in Milwaukee that I'm not aware of that mutates the average band into above-average and freaking talented? If there is, please let me know. There has to be something in the water... [The Five Mod Four] are witty and more fast paced than you think. Each track has its own personal drum kick that's distinct and hearty. It's neighborhood pop. The feeling you get when you ride your bike through your neighborhood (rocking an iPod of course) and witness the happenings in different yards. You see your next door neighbor cutting down trees, the guy in the light blue house washing his car, and then out of the corner of your eye you see the deranged woman in the meringue-colored house washing blood out of the backseat of her minivan. Just keep pedaling. Just keep pedaling. It's that kind of feeling. Upbeat pop rock for a David Lynch film. - When Apes Ruled the Earth


Discography

Portnoy (2004, Contraphonic)
Split EP with the Wrens (2004, Contraphonic)
Whiskers (2006, Contraphonic)

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