Pale Young Gentlemen

Every once in a while, I just absolutely cannot resist listening to some tortured soul rock. Pale Young Gentlemen is my perfect fix. These Wisconsin natives play old Western saloon music for the 21st century: it's all a little on the honky tonk side of things, piano-drive ballads, and wailing vocals galore. And yeah, like I said: I can't resist.

These days, rock seems to connote a very broad range of styles and sounds, a side effect of the genre's stratification (either you're hardcore into rock or working 100% against the grain, the way I see it). I know that PYG -- along with groups like the Veils, the Arcade Fire, Guillemots, and many others -- are ushering in a new genre in itself. All the bands stress instrumental aptitude and skill, more classical and baroque arrangements, and, most importantly, a sort of symphonic development and climax. These are not rock songs, but that's all I can call 'em right now. (Hell, PYG have a cellist in their band!)

Anyway. Check out the two MP3s below and buy the wonderful debut, too! Help these guys out in quitting their days jobs and hittin' the road!

Pale Young Gentlemen - Fraulein
Pale Young Gentlemen - Saturday Night