The December Sound: The December Sound

BY MYCHELLE PETERSON

The December Sound
Self-Titled
Self-Released

After listening to The December Sound’s debut album repeatedly, I’ve been struggling to make a clear description of what they sound like. Often times, the easiest way to do this is to compare the band to another of a similar ilk. And while The December Sound is easily in the same genre as some of my favorite neo-psychedelic/post-shoegaze bands like The Warlocks and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, they don’t sound like either of those bands at all. The best thing I can come up with is if The Raveonettes met A Place To Bury Strangers and rocked out in a sea of reverb and distortion. Then you might get an idea of what the Boston-born and Brooklyn-based band sounds like.

Though some bands are really excellent to listen to on headphones in order to hear the delicate nuances in the music, I would warn you against trying this at full volume with The December Sound, because you might actually go deaf. The screeching guitars are really intense at times, and if you don’t have a hand on the volume control, you might think you’ve just heard nails on a chalkboard. And yet I mean this in the best way possible. It’s not unpleasant at all. In fact, about halfway through opening track “Never,” there are some bells ringing that upon first listen sound a bit like Santa Claus on his sleigh, and it reminds the listener that this, like all good music, is a gift.

One of the things I love about this album is its ability to fuse elements of very melodic and almost poppy beats with a grit and sensuality that result in a unique sound apart from other bands in the genre.

Several basslines appear to owe a debt of gratitude to Simon Gallup of The Cure, and if you do a search on YouTube, you might even find a vintage performance of the band covering one of the best Cure songs of all time, “Fascination Street” from 1989’s Disintegration.

The vocals might have been more influenced by the Jesus and Mary Chain or My Bloody Valentine. And by that, I truly mean influenced by, I don't mean a poor imitation. The band takes their influences and creates a unique amalgamation that forms their own sound.

The whole album is really strong and diverse in its sound. With some post-shoegaze bands, one song blends into another and 45 minutes later you’re left wondering what the heck that was all about. But these songs stand strong on their own, balancing Middle Eastern-inspired sitars with those oh-so-distorted guitar riffs and brutal pounding drum beats.

Sadly, The December Sound hasn’t made it out to the West Coast, but it can only be a matter of time until they trek across the country. They’d make excellent tourmates for a variety of both established and up-and-coming bands, from Black Rebel to Spindrift, or heck, even the highly-anticipated My Bloody Valentine reunion tour.

Nevertheless, the CD is worth checking out and available from a variety of sources, including the band’s Web site. The band recorded and produced it themselves with no label, and they seem fully committed to making it without being tied to labels and publicity machines. As tough as it is to do, the integrity really speaks for itself and is solidly backed up by the music. For a taste of the album, check out The December Sound’s MySpace. And if you’re in the Northeast, definitely experience these guys live. I’m counting the days until I can.

Comments

[cheryl]

Great piece. I'll have to check them out!

[paulag]

oh wow. dude. fierce!!!

[Kustupalo]

i agree with you. the december sound is great band with great shoegaze elements. people, check out :)