MoRisen Records

I was recently introduced to MoRisen Records, an indie, Charlotte, NC-based, label and with it, two promising bands: The Sammies and The Talk.

Perhaps a gentle reminder of how Pitchfork can positively benefit young up-and-coming bands, they recently gave a single from The Sammies' debut album, "Falling Out" 3.5 stars out of 5. The Sammies display an eclectic range of genres whether it be straight indie rock, southern rock, post-punk, or even glam rock. When listening to the album, at various times I'm reminded of other contemporaries Stellastar*, Jet, and the Vacation. Who knows if that hybrid is calculated but I really think it works. The debut shows a hell of a lot of promise and after a couple of spins in my ipod, I think this will be an album that I continue to come back to from time to time. The Sammies s/t debut came out on June 27. They'll be touring with Birdmonster this fall including the Black Cat on 9/4, Maxwells on 9/6, and Mercury Lounge on 9/7 (more dates here).

MP3: The Sammies - "Angry Robots Revolt"

The Talk are a much more seasoned band and it shows in their most recent release (3rd with MoRisen), 2005's The Sinners of Daughters. They've also had a bit of mainstream success, the song "N.Y.L.A" was featured on The O.C. It's full of catchy melodies, great riffs, and potential pop rock hits. BUT, I haven't quite warmed up to the vocals. The lyrics are solid but the voice doesn't move me as much as the music. I'll give it a few more spins to see if it sticks.

MP3: The Talk - "It Comes with the Territory"