The O-town Scene

A4 A4 New Music Notes|By Mark Boshnack Laygirl Fashion|By Emily Popek One way to deal with the weather we are having is to spend more time hunt- ing for bands that are turning out music worth listening to. So this month, I will be discussing finds two finds that have kept my spirits up waiting for the winter to pass. The first is a band from London that is heavy on guitars and droning bass lines. Cheatahs has taken two EPs and released them on the aptly titled "Extended Plays," on the Wichita label. While their music may not span a huge musical range, it is full of dark and brooding energy, and I like it. The first song on the album, "The Swan," can be found on an official YouTube video that shows the band's creativity and hard-driving nature. If you are a fan of My Bloody Valentine, or Yuck, you need to spend some time with this group. The lyrics on "Swan" and the other songs serve mostly as a vehicle to deliver a dynamic performance, with power chords, solid drumming and driv- ing base. "SANS" is another standout, with its quasi-metaphysical lyrics, and its pumping bass and drums. "Coared" is a another well constructed, high energy tune, with solid performances by the four musicians that make up this band. If you are looking for something more ethereal, check out "Love's Crushing Diamond" by Mutual Benefit. Its blend of poignant lyrics, folk influences, and cine- matic orchestration, makes it a standout. Every track is a sound painting that will warm the listener, at least sonically. Mutual Benefit is a project of singer- songwriter Jordan Lee, recorded with a variety of musicians. My favorite song is "Advanced Falconry." Its inclusion on a Spotify playlist tipped me off to this group. The songs use of strings with guitar and banjo are typical of the instrumental feel of much of the album. The airy singing is the perfect delivery for such lyrics as "And oh the way she moves/always on the run/ and to look into her eyes/ will make a fool of any- one." "Strong Swimmer" is another outstand- ing selection among the eight songs on the album. The sound effects evokes buoys on water, the later being a meta- phor used in many of the songs of love and loss. Mark Boshnack is a reporter for The Daily Star, and a music fiend. He can be reached at mboshnack @thedailystar.com. Cheatahs, Mutual Benefit Lift Winter-Weary Spirits I have a confession to make: I kind of don't get nails. OK, let me clarify. I un- derstand a) what finger- nails are and b) that some people like to paint them. I can even appreciate, on an intellectual level, how painted nails can be an ac- cessory just the same way a bold lip color or a great bag can be. (Although, to be honest, I don't really do bags, either. But that's another story.) But when I see the elabo- rate nail art that seems to infiltrate my Pinterest feed, no matter who I'm following, I just feel out of the loop. It amazes me that people are actually capable of creating ombre sparkly galaxy nails. Seri- ously. Part of this is because I know, without even trying, that I would completely fail if I ever attempted any of the fancy nail art that I see online. Last time I checked, I could barely even paint my nails the normal way, which as far as I can tell no one even does anymore. I would always wind up with polish all over my cuticles, or I would get impatient and smudge it before it dried, or it would chip in like half a day, and it would always just be a mess. I am not trying to hate on those who are into nail art. As the name implies, it honestly is an art form. It just happens to be one that I can't relate to, at all. But to each his own, right? I bet some people who love keeping up with the latest nail trends think it's ridiculous that I spend at least an hour figuring out what I'm going to wear every day. (Granted, that hour usually falls some- where between 2 and 3 a.m., when thinking about which blouse would best compliment my new skirt is the only thing keeping me awake as I wait for my daughter to get back to sleep. But I digress.) Who knows, maybe someday I will wake up with a burning desire to learn more about gel pol- ish and nail stickers. But it seems unlikely. In the meantime, I'm just going to go around with my hands in my pockets so that you can't see my unpolished, unmanicured, totally lame nails. Nothing to see here! Emily F. Popek has never had a mani- cure. She is also as- sistant editor of The Daily Star. Sign Me Up For Nail Art 101 Cheatahs, 'Extended Play'; Mutual Benefit, 'Love's Crushing Diamond.' 4 O-Town Scene March 6, 2014

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