Those Darlins

After getting quite a buzz on SXSW, Those Darlins' music caught my eye. Their infectious, catchy garage pop country is so full of fun and energy that it immediately made me smile. Let's hope their full length album will be released soon!
The best pop groups create their own universe, and make up their own ways of playing music and dealing with the big, bad world outside. Those Darlins are a pop group, if they are any one thing, which doesn't mean anybody with ears can't hear the country and rock 'n' roll in their sound and stance. Or maybe this trio of young women (early twenties, although no one's telling exactly), who live a long stone's throw from Nashville, Tennessee in the college town of Murfreesboro, are punks straight out of London or Cleveland, 1977. Being informed by Nashville and its intersecting indie, pop and country scenes, and aware of the twisted tradition of Appalachian roots music that stretches back to the Carter Family, Those Darlins nevertheless aren't of Nashville. They write their own songs, record in New York City, and talk convincingly about female empowerment, music history and egalitarian ideals of performance and business. But in practice, they're rockers. In the backyard of their shared suburban house in Murfreesboro (which is littered with many musical instruments and the occasional fifth of Evan Williams green-label whiskey), they stick wires in the spindle holes of old LPs, hang them from a magnolia tree, and shoot them with BB guns. They're good shots. The rockers in question are Kelley Darlin, the group's bassist, Jessi Darlin, who plays guitar, and Nikki Darlin, on baritone ukulele. Everyone sings. All this was somewhat new in a town where true rock 'n' roll attitude has always been in short supply, and Those Darlins got noticed by The Nashville Scene. So far they released an EP, and one single, both for sale at their website, eMusic and iTunes.

@ Tennessee, USA
♫ Indie, Pop, Alternative
♥ Wild Ones (mp3)
♥ Snaggletooth Mama (mp3)
▸ Myspace
▸ Official Website