Combining psychedelic chamber pop with Midwestern Americana is The Republic Tigers, the latest band likely to flood the blogosphere in the upcoming months. The reason for that will be the Kansas City, Missouri quintet’s upcoming debut, Keep Color. But before dropping that bomb, the group has released a solid four-song EP, named EP, to give us all a taste.
As soon as “Buildings and Mountains” starts up, you cannot help but be drawn in by the soaring vocals that haunt the track. And the slightly brooding keys and synths just add more layers to an already lush soundscape. Just as psychedelic, but slightly more experimental, are the aptly-titled “The Drums” and “Rollercoaster”. The former features plucked acoustic guitar strings that overlap and give a feel of organized chaos. “Rollercoaster”, on the other hand, is completely instrumental, except for even more choir-esque “aaahs,” until the last minute. It plays a lot like post-rock on valium, though the change one-third of the way through gives it a slight boost. The only song that doesn’t immediately grab you is “Sinkin’ Annie, Down, Down, Down”. Although the ’60s pop vocal harmonies are a nice touch, their and the track’s appeal are fleeting.
If this EP is any indication, The Republic Tigers are sure to garner some attention. Just make sure you’re on the look-out for Keep Color, which sounds just as good as EP but just with eight more spaced-out tracks.