In the past, The Modern Skirts have proved themselves to be one of the finest piano-laced indie pop groups in the western hemisphere. But, to be so damn good really seems to come with a price. The dreaded pigeon-holing effect becomes a factor. And any real artist, or avid listener, knows that this could very well mean the death of wonderful musical acts. The Skirts blasted out of nowhere in 2005 with an album that everyone couldn’t stop loving. In 2008, they stepped their game up once again with one of the finest indie pop albums of last decade. They even managed to get one of their most popular tracks on the video game Rockband 2. So, is all this well earned respect a bad thing? One entire sitting with their latest album, Grammahawk, might very well proved the answer really is – Yes. And No!

Grammahawk, much like the Happy 81 EP these Athens based gentlemen released in early 2010, is a complete 360 degree turn, followed by another 90 degrees for good measure. The guys have taken their own route this time around. Using a lo-fi, obscurity based sound to override the pianos that used to carry their act, and although it may frighten fans of the bands original style, the real fans are going to flip their damn lids after hearing the artistic freedom these brooding avant garde rednecks have embraced.

“Bumper Cars” may be labeled and structured to be the single to be heard. And it is a beautiful experimental track. But, to say it stands out amongst the rest of the tracks would be an outright lie. Every track is a brand new experience to be had. In fact, the only tracks that slightly resemble the band’s former pop style are the once highlighted “Happy 81″ and the extremely mellow “Glass of Water”. But, don’t expect even these songs to really remind you of years passed. They won’t. Just embrace the new found beauty that is The Modern Skirts. And understand that had they not experienced so much as a fantastic pop act, we may have never gotten to hear these beautiful bedside tracks that we should be eternally grateful for!

If you find yourself able-bodied enough to draw your attention away from the band’s new artistic considerations, make your way back to Jay Gulley’s completely original brilliance. Listen to the shit this guy has to say – with such a sweet and disconcerting voice, it is amazing to hear him through lyrics that are darkly comical and downright intriguing. Sit back and enjoy tales of DUI’s, indecent exposure, mariachi’s, 80′s one hit wonders (specifically Jane Child on the track of the same name), and an overall discontent for human decency and our sometimes ridiculous sense of complacency.

Download: “Bumper Car” by Modern Skirts

[CD, 2011]

1. Jane Child
2. Happy 81
3. Bridges & Overpasses
4. Bumper Car
5. DUI
6. Tape Deck
7. Glass Of Water
8. American Gothic
9. Ship Shape
10. Hitler On Wheels
11. To Be A Branch Davidian

After turning so many heads with their 2008 sophomore release, All Of Us In Our Night, as well as appearing on the video game Rock Band 2, some may wonder how the Athens pop/rock group Modern Skirts would return when that time eventually came. Could anything they do top the local and sub-sequential SXSW successes they have achieved? With the release of Happy 81 EP, the prequel to their upcoming full length album due this fall, some listeners might be a bit upset. But, the real fans are going to have their minds blown.

Recorded entirely by the band in singer Jay Gulley’s bedroom, what you will hear throughout Happy 81 EP is the raw emotion of a pop/rock band that found themselves trapped in an overproduced line of work. Sure, having a catchy and well received album (which featured production from the bass man for R.E.M.) can be nice. But, it’s not unlikely that you could lose a sense of sentimental attachment to the music you create. And Modern Skirts must have seen the storm clouds coming because they took a step back and realized that tracks like “Rebecca St. Claire” and “Thomas Wolfe” from this EP were what they would really love to do. These songs they were creating simply for the joy of creating. And though the lo-fi acoustics of the album may appear similar to many artists developing music on a budget these days, this is pure artistic ingenuity at its finest.

Modern Skirts are a pop band that never really seemed to conform. So how odd is it really to see why Jay and the boys would decide to take all matters into their own hands and create something they consider to be pure at heart and exactly what they want to make as artists. Even looking past all the controversy and ill conceived confusion, Happy 81 is a spectacular display of lo-fi pop with a real raw power to entertain. These are the facts. Whether the Skirts want to hear that or not!

Download: “Rebecca St. Claire” by Modern Skirts

[CDEP, 2010]

1. On The Ride When We Go Out There
2. Happy 81
3. Rebecca St. Claire
4. DUI
5. Blip
6. Thomas Wolfe

Written by Ron Trembath

Listening to Modern Skirts (MySpace) is like listening to the soundtrack of your favorite film on the Sundance Channel. They really found a home on a recent tour with R.E.M. (who could have the same thing said about them, but more likely Starz!). And this listener-friendly band’s sophomore release, All Of Us In Our Night, is an almost cinematic delight.

One way to know you are hearing a great album is when the ability to choose a favorite track diminishes with the next song begins playing. Each and every song has it’s own niche (managing to keep a similar tone throughout the album), that prevents you from changing the song. “Radio Breaks” may be the most obvious radio friendly single, with it’s pop-like aggression and assertiveness. But dig deeper into the tracklist, and “Motorcade” can be found. This tale of outcasts is best served with a glass of bourbon and a great batch of friends to sing along when the chorus hits. Modern Skirts have successfully blended obscure lyrics and catchy hooks into perfect smoothness.

For fans of blaring acoustics, All Of Us In Our Night is an obvious pick. But, Modern Skirts could also be for those who remember when you bought an entire album (possibly in a retail record store?) and hoped and prayed it would be completely pleasant. Here it is old-schoolers! Downloading these guys 99 cents at a time would be downright shameful. This album is to be heard in it’s entirety. Whether they sing of failing waitresses or cheap cars, there is something for anybody with a pulse on this album. Possibly one of the best indie pop records in many years…

Modern Skirts: Soft Pedals [mp3]

[CD, 2008]

1. Chanel
2. Soft Pedals
3. Chokehold
4. Radio Breaks
5. Yugo
6. Face Down
7. Conversational
8. Astronauts