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Rocking out with the Dark Sinatras
Thursday 29th November 2012 | David
Full of odd time signatures and eclectic influences, this powerful trio are looking to take the music world by storm.
What do you get when you cross a rock and metal guitarist with a Kazakhstani gypsy drummer, then add a legendary bassist into the mix? The answer is the Dark Sinatras, a holy trinity of exceptionally talented musicians who are bringing something quite unique to the world of music.
Describing their sound is incredibly difficult because I’ve never heard anything quite like it. My best effort would be if Jack Black dropped a load of acid and started singing with Queens of the Stone Age – a truly awesome notion. Mark White’s vocals lend an ominous air to his heavy guitar paying, mingling dangerously with the funky bass stylings of Paul Turner of Jamiroquai fame. Ed Laubinger sits calmly behind the drum kit, adding his Kazak gypsy drumming – among a multitude of other instruments – to give this band a wonderful vibrancy.
The mix of influences gives the group incredible versatility. Their first album, Sick Society – released in January – delivers track after track of fantastic music, but it’s not all gravely vocals and heavy guitars. ‘Absolution’, ‘Governing Body’ and ‘Local Treason’ form a core of wonderfully varied sounds, moving in order from an apocalyptic, anthemic waterfall of a song, through a chilled-out river of purity and finally into a grungy, head-banging sea of aggression.
But enough of my watery ramblings – back to the music itself. As if the Dark Sinatras couldn’t get any more flexible, the addition of Tallulah Rendall on several tracks adds a further dimension to the band. Her excellent vocals lend themselves brilliantly to the stand-out duo of ‘The Power of Tradition’ and ‘Optimus’, providing a great counterbalance to White’s tones. Another highlight is ‘The Sins of Ignorance’, yet another different sound with an almost Dickensian air to it – it’s abrupt, haunting and wouldn’t be entirely out of place in an extended soundtrack to Oliver.
The Dark Sinatras are currently gearing up for an internet gig with the wonderful Hot Head Show, which will be broadcasted on a ustream.tv channel on Sunday 9th December – make sure you don’t miss out on what is set to be an incredible musical showcase. Until then, it’s well worth grabbing their album – and check out the video for ‘The Power of Tradition’ below.
By Dave Rees
@DavidWRees
