Sleigh Bells: Buzzworthy!!! Or Not???

by Pop Tarts Suck Toasted on Fri, 2009/11/20 - 2:00pm
(Photo by Kyle Dean Reinford via Stereogum)

Who: Sleigh Bells
Location: Brooklyn, NY
elbo.ws Ranking: #39
Thoughts: ‘Tis almost the season for holiday merriment, but back in October Sleigh Bells were getting their wish with music fans and critics alike fawning over their every move during the annual CMJ Music Marathon. Sites like Stereogum, Pitchfork, and more were quick to anoint them the breakout stars of the Marathon without ever hearing anything more then a few shoddy recorded mp3’s beyond the live show. We still can’t attest to the power of their live performance but we can attest to the novelty of the songs that have found their way to their MySpace and the Hype Machine. The songs seem to mix elements of the lo-fi, scuzz wave that has been assaulting our ears all year long and the bounce and beat of some sort of British hip hop act. It’s really tough to liken their sound to anyone else, really there’s bits and pieces of things here and there but they are all twisted and distorted to make it wholly Sleigh Bells. The band look the part of the next big thing to break out of the hipster scene - a guy and a girl, slim, hip, attractive, dressing like they were torn from the pages of the latest American Apparel catalog. Simply put this Brooklyn duo is branded and ready to be the next big act for all the hipsters to fall in love with, but the staying power of the music is definitely up for debate. After only a few listens there’s some tunes that stand out beyond the others. "Infinity Guitars" make me want to rave about this band to no end, but a song like "Beach Girls" kind of drops them down to Earth for me. The music is fresh and raw, definitely original, but vaguely familiar. It’s good, yet at times it can become downright grating. The jury is still out on this act, but there is a shit ton of promise and most people seem ready to jump on the bandwagon without thinking twice.
Verdict: Buzzworthy-ish
Listen: Sleigh Bells - "Crown On The Ground"
Sleigh Bells - "Infinity Guitars"

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