Conrad The Band brings you to a place of artistic genius with “Valley Fever”
lou flesh
Posted On October 25, 2017
Conrad The Band’s debut “Valley Fever” proves to be a rousing showcase of the artists’ intimacy with all genres. They bring a world of sound and new favorite tracks are discovered with each subsequent listen.
The 90’s element and influences are obvious. The comparisons to Tame Impala and The Flaming Lips make sense also think Modest Mouse and swagger of Lou Reed come into play as well.
Conrad The Band is the sparkling studio project of garage-pop sound catalysts, Matthew Shaw (guitar, bass, vocals, lyrics, other odds and ends) and Nick Andre (percussion, synth, production, occasional lyric and additional instrumentation). The Bakersfield brothers met while in two different high schools, and got caught in the same dirt-weed social milieu. Upon graduation, they got their first apartment together, and then got evicted for terrorizing their neighbors.
Their digitally recorded new release Valley Fever has a recurring sweet nostalgic analog shimmer. It returns these old friends to an emotional territory they discovered while matching troubling lyrics with playful, exquisitely crafted electronic rock, with a bit of trap and soul woven in. “Besides the vintage guitars and amps, we used an MPC2000 for some of the drums, and a Moog sub 37 (as well as the Juno 106) for some of the sub tones and synth sounds,” Nick says. “We’re really into MPC samplers, analog synths, vintage guitars and amps,” Matthew adds, and enthuses, “I love vintage guitars!”
Conrad The Band will proceed with great purpose. The promise of future success is evident. You will love it from beginning to end.
