Music
Press
The Numbers have a dreamy kind of sound that reverberates into a listening ear, wielding its moody magic as its particular mix of British and American rock influences goes to work weaving its spell. Sounding a bit like a cross between Radiohead, The Beatles, and The Strokes, The Numbers take art rock sensibilities and fuse that with a kind of temperamental pop that seems prone to wander . That nomadic quality probably comes from the fact that The Numbers are not really hometown boys. Though they met in North Carolina, each band member has done his share of wandering. Songwriter and guitarist Alan Mearns hails from Northern Ireland while bassist John Williams grew up in the backwoods of Georgia. Though The Numbers' name seems to contradict the streamlined reality of their trio, their eponymous debut album showcases a band that is much more than the sum of their separate parts. From the uber-hipness of opener, "Don't Let Me Down" to the final, quieted strains of "Lullaby", The Numbers seem to work best exponentially. In tone and timbre, Alan Mearns' voice sounds at turns like Travis' Fran Healy with touches of Thom Yorke and some vocal gymnastics reminiscent of Ours' Jimmy Gnecco. Lyrically, Mearns seems to use his words as launching pads so that he can catapult his meanings out of the lines of his songs into listening ears. As Mearns glides over and through his cadences, he pushes forward to the points when he can just sing. The result is songs that kind of bypass the head and go straight for heart. And The Numbers have plenty of heart. Even as they release their first record, they are already looking to the next one. With a bevy of songs already written, they promise more quality to match their sheer quantity. In the end, The Numbers are aiming for the masses, hoping to reach the world with their moody gospel and promising to, "speak the truth like good boys should."
- Relevant Magazine
Discography
Singles-Hunky Dory "2005"
Number
Album-The Numbers "2006"
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
The Numbers have a dreamy kind of sound that reverberates into a listening ear, wielding its moody magic as its particular mix of British and American rock influences goes to work weaving its spell. Sounding a bit like a cross between Radiohead, The Beatles, and The Strokes, The Numbers take art rock sensibilities and fuse that with a kind of temperamental pop that seems prone to wander . That nomadic quality probably comes from the fact that The Numbers are not really hometown boys. Though they met in North Carolina, each band member has done his share of wandering. Songwriter and guitarist Alan Mearns hails from Northern Ireland while bassist John Williams grew up in the backwoods of Georgia. Though The Numbers' name seems to contradict the streamlined reality of their trio, their eponymous debut album showcases a band that is much more than the sum of their separate parts. From the uber-hipness of opener, "Don't Let Me Down" to the final, quieted strains of "Lullaby", The Numbers seem to work best exponentially. In tone and timbre, Alan Mearns' voice sounds at turns like Travis' Fran Healy with touches of Thom Yorke and some vocal gymnastics reminiscent of Ours' Jimmy Gnecco. Lyrically, Mearns seems to use his words as launching pads so that he can catapult his meanings out of the lines of his songs into listening ears. As Mearns glides over and through his cadences, he pushes forward to the points when he can just sing. The result is songs that kind of bypass the head and go straight for heart. And The Numbers have plenty of heart. Even as they release their first record, they are already looking to the next one. With a bevy of songs already written, they promise more quality to match their sheer quantity. In the end, The Numbers are aiming for the masses, hoping to reach the world with their moody gospel and promising to, "speak the truth like good boys should."
Links
