I was sitting in my living room casually chatting away on the internet with my good friend when he sent me a link to a performance by a new band he really enjoyed. The band my friend was referring to is called Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros who are in a league of their own. The ensemble band is led by Alex Ebert who was previously in the power pop band Ima Robot. Their first album called Up From Below was released in July of 2009 although they have been performing since 2007. Ebert imagined a messiah like figure named Edward Sharpe who he claims "was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind...but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love" proving how unconventional this band truly is. Ebert then met Jade Castrinos in Los Angelos and toured the country with a group of musicians in a white school bus.
Made up of a staggering ten musicians, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros combine country, folk, and rock with some neo-psychedelia putting out songs that cross boundaries. In their song "Home," Alex Ebert begins by whistling the melody when Jade Castrinos begins singing "Alabama, Arkansas/ I do love my Ma and Pa/ But not as much as I do love you" which may sound like cheesy lyrics to some but I find their lyrics endearing. In fact, the band seems to be essentially child like and whimsical-sort of modern day hippies which is reflected in their clothing and musical style. The band sings about love, solitude, personal privacy and family which is shown in dream-like "Desert Song" in which Ebert sings about wanting to make decisions on his own. Although some of the songs have dark undertones, most of the music really just puts me in a good mood and is fun and energetic. So pass the peace pipe and listen to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros!
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