Record Label: S/R
Genre: Indie
Band Link: link
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A little over a year ago, I thought it would be really cool to pick a band of the day and add it to the news section, hopefully to discover some interesting unknown bands. Unfortunately, due to my own laziness, I abandoned the idea within a month or so. However, I was in fact able to find some really great bands, and The Definite Articles are one of them.

For starters, the band takes a fun and original approach to indie rock music by having its instrumentation primarily from strings – a violin, viola, and cello are accompanied by rock drumming. The talent is obvious, but what I like is that the band don’t depend on the kitsch factor; their music is catchy, complicated, adventurous, and most of all, really good. With a sound akin to Final Fantasy, Joanna Newsom, and the Shins, this music is the right step forward for indie rock. It’s almost entirely unpretentious and genuine; and by that, I mean that these aren’t college kids showing off how cool they are because they can play instruments (I’m looking at you, Vampire Weekend). This is a collective of talented musicians writing great songs and forgoing the guitar for a much better sound.

I sincerely hope that the Definite Articles gain the recognition they deserve. They’re trying something exciting and new, and writing some great songs to boot. I’ve declared my boredom with the usual guitar-bass-drums shtick in rock music so many times, and it’s nice to see a band that can make a full, interesting sound without one.

Bottom Line: Catchy and unique indie rock music made with strings rather than guitars.
Notable Tracks: Elixirs, Information, Vienna
Overall Rating: