The last thing you’d expect from a band called Kiss Me at the Gate is an abrupt slap in the face administered with the power of The Clash. Kiss Me at the Gate’s debut album, Tape & Scissors, grabs the listener by the collar as opening staccato guitars give way to sugary vocal stylings with the first number “Seven Ravens”. Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, singer and songwriter Claire Cormany teases the listener with her simple delivery that prompts immediate comparisons to Juliana Hatfield. But whereas Hatfield is a cynic with a chip on her shoulder, Cormany is more of a genuine romantic with a sincerity in her voice that is as powerful as the melancholy of 1960s broken heart queen Karen Carpenter.
Formed in the summer of 2003, Kiss Me at the Gate specializes in lyrical indie rock. The objective is emotional connection utilizing threads of hope woven throughout the lyrics. Musical influences for each band member vary dramatically, resulting in fresh and original collaborative efforts. Kiss Me at the Gate’s melodies are doled out with any amazingly natural touch. Cormany’s insistence on repeating phrases creates immaculate pop masterpieces that are bolstered by powerful, catchy guitar lines that complement her ear for hooks. “Come On” is a classic example, an irresistible plea armed with urgent locomotiveguitars that repeat simple riffs like machine gun bullets in a perfect complement to Cormany’s repetition of two-note phrases.
The lyrics are clever and emotional, and the band’s style of employing a pulsating rhythm guitar with lead riffs and fills on top launch the songs with dramatic splendor. “Down” is a delicate ballad laced with Carole King sentimentality and Cormany’s lovely grasp of melody. Kiss Me at the Gate is modern pop at its finest: powerful, catchy, and best of all, absolutely charming. Tape & Scissors is releasing October 21, 2008 on Superphonic Records.
Track Listing
1. Seven Ravens
2. Come On
3. Late
4. Remember
5. What Do You Want
6. Down
7. Holly
8. Underfoot
9. All the While
10. How to Lie
11. Say It
12. Feel
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