They Walk In Line recently released its debut album, Medical Necessities on Rock Ridge Music. The band shows a skill for blending its indie influences with more traditional guitar-pop leanings. Each member of the band selected a song for us, revealing disparate but compatible tastes.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre– Evergreen

Paul Bayze (Bass Guitar): The guitar draws me in, it sounds so hypnotic in the way of My Bloody Valentine or Ride. This song stands out from the rest of the BJM’s repertoire, with the haunting-breathy vocal style that Anton Newcombe only displays on this one song. This sounds completely different from the retro-60’s ish style the band is known for. Yes this song “Evergreen” makes me want to smoke some Evergreen for breakfast!

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The Comas– Hologram

Kevin Kolpien (Guitar): I’m usually more into noisy bands like The Warlocks or Dead Meadow, but part of me has always loved catchy pop tunes. The Comas are one of my recent favorites as they blend great songwriting, tasteful vocal harmonies, and interesting song structures. “Hologram” starts off with acoustic guitar and vocals and slowly builds throughout the song. The keyboards are well-placed and in the foreground just enough to make the listener think there are strings in the recording. I like the dark subject matter of the lyrics as well - “Every time I think about a zero, it’s me with my eyes exed out”. Guitar-wise, there’s nothing fancy going on which is a plus in this case. Simple and to-the-point leads, rhythmic acoustic guitar, some distortion when things build enough… that’s what good guitar playing is all about in my opinion.

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Dead Meadow– Heaven

Michael Romero (Guitar/Vocals): This tune’s got the elements. I’m totally digging the new record by Dead Meadow and the 4th track, Heaven, is prolly my fave at the moment. The song’s got that dreamy Pink Floyd/Sabbath feel with that total laziness from a vocal standpoint that sucks you in and breathes with total space and psychedelics. The guitar licks hop across and back between a driving rock sound and the delay-layered accents reminding me of what The Verve did on A Storm In Heaven. The record’s overall darkness and moodiness translates best on this cut.

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Cornelius– Chapter 8 - Seashore And Horizon

Niaz Chakravarty (Drums/Percussion): A beautiful acoustic thought provoker from an amazing talent that sounds like it was recorded in the sixties. This style in its retro haze brings the listener closer to realizing that the song is a meditation: We get what we want because we take chances. Success and failure has little significance here because the true meaning is in the fact that you gave yourself a chance.

“Now I’ve seen a blue beginning (now I go)
And I’ve seen a blue ‘the end’ (now I know)
Set the scene for seaward swimming (now I go)
Dim the stage again
If I don’t guess then I won’t know”

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