Emeralds. Yes this was the BEST picture I could find.
I am going to be 100% honest and say that I found Emeralds through running through Pitchfork’s Best New Music section. As I have said many times before, I do not read Pitchfork as if it is the Bible. However, I do use it to help me figure out what I might have missed and to learn about stuff going on in the music industry. I mean, talk shit as much as you want—it is a good site that has a ton of information. So yeah, I found Emeralds because Pitchfork rated their newest album, Does it Look Like I’m Here, 8.2–a pretty great score when it comes to Pitchfork.
Emeralds is comprised of John Elliott, Mark McGuire, and Steve Hauschildt. They formed the band in 2005 in the suburbs of Cleveland. Their original name was Fancelions (kinda lame) but in time changed to Emeralds in 2006 (a hard to search band name). They have hopped and popped from label to label to produced this new album through Editions Mego.
Emeralds has put out roughly has averaged 10 releases per year in the last four years. Yup, about 40 releases, which are mainly on CD’s or cassettes…that is right, I said it–cassette. It is the new, old thing lately and it is allll the rage, boys and girls.
I don’t know how to explain this album. Experimental? Beautiful? avant-garde? Yes to all of the above. The music is unique and oddly soothing. The sounds are organic and technologic at the same time. There is a perfect balance of organic sounds, synths/technology, and live instruments. The music swells in and out like waves on numerous tracks and it leads to incredible relaxation. You can feel the layers add–one on top of the other and unlike other artists, it makes perfect sense. They fit…perfectly. It is sooooo good.
Does it Look Like I'm Here (Album Art)
Below: ”Candy Shoppe” by Emeralds
Below: ”Now You See Me” by Emeralds
Below: ”Now You See Me”
