Irving
Death in the Garden Blood in the Flowers
Label: Eenie Meenie Records
Available: April 4

Aiming for a different sound from their two previous Cali-pop records, Irving took their earlier Beach Boys/Beatles sound and mixed it with the Kinks, the Byrds and some later year Who to give us Death in the Garden Blood in the Flowers.

Overall, I think Irving left us with a sound that’s perfectly themselves. It’s a stellar new wave surfy pop record that passes the poser test.

The track “Jen, Nothing Matters To Me” is making the rounds on the indie stations, and they had a good show at SXSW. But the title track is the fantastic standout here - with a FAT bass line and catchy psychedelic chorus featuring sing-songish keys/guitar that perfectly complement the understated vocals and lyrics. I predict when this track hits the airwaves, Irving will blow up.

In April, Iriving heads out on a full tour with Voxtrot (skipping MN, damn it). You can check out their latest video on their Web site’s homepage.