The Melismatics photo by Alex Abercrombie
Milwaukee has always been a great destination for out-of-town bands. We have an ever-growing number of venues willing to take a flyer on bands from all over the country and the world, offering Milwaukeeans the unique opportunity to check out some truly amazing bands we might not otherwise get to see. In this installment of “You Should Know,” we take a look at a familiar face from our neighbor to the northwest, or as I like to call it, Wisconsin Jr. It’s time to meet The Melismatics.
Check Them Out
Saturday night at The Cactus Club, opening for the endlessly catchy Milwaukee band Trolley.
What’s The Big Deal?
Caught in sugar-sweetened limbo somewhere between the new wave ‘80s and the alternative ‘90s, Minneapolis four-piece The Melismatics have carved out quite the niche for themselves in the past decade. The definition of weekend warriors, The Melismatics have built a steady reputation throughout the Midwest with a seemingly constant string of regional tour dates, in addition to big ticket appearances at South By Southwest, CMJ Music Marathon and Lollapalooza. National attention has also found the band in the form of having songs featured on the MTV over-dramatic rich kids trifecta of “The Hills,” “The City” and “Laguna Beach.”
Though the music can come across as simplistic at times, there is much more going on here than with the majority of your run-of-the-mill pop bands. Seriously catchy hooks, a diverse and ever-expanding stylistic range and undeniably solid musicianship throughout keep the at times borderline cliché songwriting from bogging down in electro pop malaise. But perhaps the biggest attraction setting the band apart from other saccharine-tinged pop outfits is the remarkable vocal interplay between singers Ryan Smith and Kathie “Pony” Hixon-Smith. Each singer can hold his/her own on solo tracks, but it is when the happy hubby-and-wife team join forces that the true power of The Melismatics is unleashed.
How’s The Latest Album?
Released just over a month ago, The Melistmatics latest effort Mania! builds upon the bouncy power pop stylings that have built the band a large following to this point. Giddy, danceable and limitless in energy, Mania! is a tight, focused effort spearheaded by producer Jon Auer of The Posies and Big Star along with longtime Melismatics collaborator Ed Ackerson (Motion City Soundtrack, The Jayhawks, The Replacements).
The album starts out with some edge as the guitars growl through opening track “Face to Face.” But as one track after another comes pouring out, it soon becomes obvious that this album, much like The Acid Test before it, is about stylistic range. The synth-driven dance track “Your Love Is A Poison” soon gives way to the ‘80s slow jam throwback “Smoke and Mirrors,” and the grab bag continues. A lesser band could fall into disjointed disarray while experimenting with this type of variance of style, but The Melismatics have been perfecting it for a decade.
What People Are Saying
“Mania! is a combination of electro pop and dance music infused with catchy 2 part harmonies and vocal hooks that make for a very addictive dance record.” – Kami-O Betzina, MplsMusic.com
“Mania! is an album begging for current heavy rotation. Single “Your Love Is A Poison” is almost Katy Perry on steroids.” – David Musto, The Big Takeover
Audio
Listen to tracks off of the band’s latest effort Mania! HERE.
