MUSIC

Photo by Ross Heutmaker

You spend enough time combing through NJ bands’ MySpaces and Bandcamps and you come to a realization: 95% pop/punk or emo in composition, with other base metal. And sometimes you hit upon this rough and beautiful gem that makes you consider, “Maybe Gen Y-ers aren’t a bunch of self-hating dorks.” Such is Alien Father, brought to this planet’s country’s state’s Mercer County by Curtis Regian (synth, piano, guitar, vocals), David Hallinger (guitar, vocals), Michael Topley (drums), and Conor Meara (bass).

Self described “avant-garage,” (probably still dorks though) I’ll admit one of the first things that came to mind on first listen are Dow Jones and the Industrials…this is good, at least for me. Despite the aughties Trentonian’s (and thereabouts) obvious contrast with the post-punk Midwestern kiddos — mostly being that they don’t quite sound like anyone else — all the traits that turn me on are there. Mostly this perversely nerdish desire to defenestrate music. Fuck, I can’t type this. I’m gonna go poop. Listen to this:

O.K., back. So anyways, listen to “Bed In,” the first track from their most sonically maturest of offerings, “Sunday at the Speedway.” It kind of sounds like a careening amusement park ride, spinning in urgency, while Orwellian Mozart keys spill over the lights and the lilting horses and hurts your eyes. My favorite part is when it slows down, mostly because it reminds me of something that scared me once (I won’t tell you what that is). Actually no, I really like how the guitar is going off in one time signature while the rest…isn’t. (Feel free to correct me, people who studied music.)

Give the rest of the album a whole shot: AlienFather.bandcamp.com