Poetic Memory: The Moviegoers (List)
In the 1960s the average band enjoyed fame for a couple of months, if that, before people’s attention shifted to the next rising (and soon to be falling) stars. Being a one-hit wonder wasn’t a failure, it was the norm, and accomplishments by bands like The Beatles and The Kinks were rendered all the more impressive by the fact that any kind of longevity was exceptional, and enjoyed by only a small percentage of groups.
Not much has changed since then: nowadays most bands—particularly in the realm of indie rock—still amount to little more than passing fads, soaking up their proverbial fifteen minutes of fame before succumbing to irrelevance. But one thing that has been accelerated by the internet is that entire genres seem to rise and fall in the space of a few months, leaving up-and-coming groups scrambling to tap into the next sound du jour and ride the Wavves waves of recognition before they fizzle out.
Then there are bands who are content to just create great music. Unfazed by meaningless trends, they place emphasis on great songwriting, captivating melodies, and a distinctive but inviting sound. They may not get drooled over by Pitchfork (and if they do, it’s only so long until P4K’s drool runs dry and the inevitable backlash begins), but they do create a body of work that speaks for itself, and will outlast the one-MP3 wonders that permeate the blogosphere. San Diego’s The Moviegoers are one of those bands, and though they may not auto-tune their vocals or mangle their guitars with lo-fi crunch, they do create moving and memorable songs accented by rich harmonies and understated confidence. And that never goes out of style. (more…)
The Moviegoers Want You to Be a Man (MP3s)
Soulful San Diego cinephiles The Moviegoers have released a new digital EP, entitled Be a Man, and they’d like you to have it.
The three song release takes some of the sweetest elements of the 90s—Pavement, The Breeders, Elliott Smith, Yo La Tengo—and fuses them into a deliciously caramelized rock and roll concoction. Clocking in at an all too brief twelve minutes, Be a Man is so heartfelt and catchy you may find yourself listening to it ten times in a row. At least that’s what happened to us.
You can experience the sugary goodness by downloading the EP—miraculously free of charge. We dare you not to love it.
