Active since 2006, Brooklyn based couple The Inner Banks released their third album “Wild” yesterday, June 12, via DAG! Records. The band’s sound, mostly acoustic but fast paced, is suspended in a place between foggy nostalgia and traditional American roots music: is this dream-folk? A driving snare drum beat propels single “Ana Peru” forward (video streaming below), as a brightly textured guitar line weaves around farfisa organ stabs. Layered female vocals tell a tale of how the song title’s subject matter is ‘just like one of us’ and ‘not like none of us,’ while the chorus plays around the phrase “hey, not ordinary, hey, just ordinary – with a definitive “hey!” punctuating the musical point. The other single, "Box and Crown" confirm this band’s noteworthy melodic talent, offering tasteful string arrangements reminiscent of R.E.M. from the "Out of Time" period, while title track "Wild" betrays the group’s country influences.
Not unlike Michael Stipe’s band, The Inner Banks have found a convincing middle ground between Americana and Dream Pop in the form of a mature, arousing pop with orchestral tendencies. "Wild" has all the right features to be the album we were waiting for to properly celebrate the upcoming summer.
The band will celebrate the release with a special show on July 2 at The Mercury Lounge, sharing the bill with good friends Cardinal. Do not miss! – Dave Cromwell