Name: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Style: Indie Folk
Similar To/Sounds Like: Hicks (no, that's not a band name)
I've been listening to quite a lot of what many people would consider to be hipster music lately, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros is by far the most hipster of them all. If you hate all things hipster then you aren't going to like ES, but you should probably reconsider you stance and at the very least give their song "Home" a chance.
I first heard this group when their song "40 Day Dream" came up on my always-astounding Florence + the Machine Pandora station, the source of all good music in the universe, and jotted down their name to look up when I had the time. A few days later I did a quick Google search on them, and it was quite apparent that "Home" is their biggest hit so I listened to it on YouTube. And loved it. And then at the NYFA fashion show in Seattle last week, one of the designer's showed their collection with "Home" playing in the background and I loved it even more than the first time I head it. Almost as soon as I got home, I bought their CD on Amazon and it's been playing ever since.
The group is made up of Alex Ebert, the lead singer, Jade Castrinos, the back-up female singer, and about 50 other random musicians. OK, so not 50, but there's a bunch. They also have a superb trumpet player that is worthy of mention. I'm sure all of the other members are good musicians as well, but today I'm feeling particularly pro-trumpet... probably because my dad got his out the other night and was brushing up on his rendition of "Taps" for his second-career as a funeral trumpeter.
Like most of the bands and singers I listen to, I know this type of music isn't for everyone. Probably 85% of you that actually give the group a listen are going to think I'm insane, so sorry for that. But the other 15% is going to love me for sharing these guys with you, so you're welcome for that. Anyways, I'll shut up now and let you listen. (I'm only linking up my 3 favorites today, but I'm sure you can find all of them on YouTube.)
Up From Below
2. Janglin
3. Up from Below
4. Carries On
5. Jade
6. Home
7. Desert Song
8. Black Water
9. Come in Please
10. Simplest Love
11. Kisses Over Babylon
12. Brother
13. Om Nashi Me
Download on Amazon (only $3.99!) or buy the CD.
This isn't a music video exactly, but I thought it was fun and a good way to listen to their best song:
