Ears Wide Open: The Devious Means
Kevin Bronson on
2
Orange County quintet the Devious Means look like a lot of other indie-pop quintets – four guys and a gal, taking a perfect band photo – and on their first two EPs they sounded like a lot of ther indie-pop quintets too: Serviceable melodies, boy/girl vocals, big choruses and all. But where other artists are adding synth and going more electro, the Devious Means have taken the opposite tack. On their full-length, “Other Animals” (out Sept. 16), the band – Christopher Faris, Jason Mize, Andy Starr McCraw, Rachel Anderson, and Joe Petty – has gotten soul. Their take on blues uses modernists like the Black Keys as a touchstone, and the single “Rusty Little Scissors” is driven by an insistent groove. Production on the album comes courtesy of Eli Thomson, the bassist for Everest (and now others) who’s worked in the studio with Delta Spirit, Richard Swift, Ivan & Alyosha and Two Sheds. There’s a lion on the album cover, surrounded by four other beasts all baring their teeth. Ready the roar.
||| Stream: “Rusty Little Scissors”
||| Live: The Devious Means celebrate their album release with a show Sept. 13 at the Wayfarer in Costa Mesa.
Photo by Paulifornia
The Devious Means definitely stands out from the rest. The single is a great addition to the tracks from their first two EPs. Can’t wait to hear the other new songs from Other Animals.
I have been to numerous Devious means shows ,and easily stand out from the many live acts that I have seen. This is a band to look out for.They have the IT factor.