By Jamie Lamberski
“Who is Milo Greene?” Well, the person Milo Greene doesn’t actually exist. But the 5-piece California-based band that is making major waves in the indie music scene does. Milo Greene is the fictitious manager that the band invented as a clever scheme to get heard. Instead of querying venues themselves, their manager “Milo Greene” emailed on behalf of the band making them sound oh-so-professional.
Now, the band has been named one of the artists to watch in 2012 by Esquire magazine and is scheduled to perform on David Letterman before the end of the month. But if it wasn’t for the artful business tactics of band members Robbie Arnett and Andrew Heringer, we might not be listening to their debut album right now.
The band has only been playing together for four years, but their perfected sound on their debut album is simply captivating. The first track on the debut album, “What’s the Matter,” begins with what sounds like a dream-like scenario of drowned out bells and the tuning of a tiny orchestra that culminates into a melodically wistful tune, appropriately setting the stage for what’s to come.
The album ebbs and flows with dreamy guitar rifts, rolling drums, delicate tambourines, whispering vocals and powerful harmonies. Whether it’s the ethereal voice of Marlana Sheetz in “Perfectly Aligned,” the rustic percussion in “1957” or the exploding acapella chorus in “Cutty Love,” each song provides a satisfying new element. The band employs a wide range of instruments throughout the album that show off different sides of the dynamic 5-piece while subtly nodding to a mixture of influences. The final track, “Autumn Tree” starts off as a soft ballad and builds into a belting anthem that gently lets you go after a reverberating grip.
Sentimental, refreshing and sweet, this album is the perfect ode to summer. Don’t miss your chance to see Milo Greene live this summer; they’ll be performing this Saturday, July 21, at the Drunken Unicorn at 9pm.
