Indie groups to perform in Sadove

by Hannah Grace O'Connell '14
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Free Energy, Darwin Deez and Land of Pines are three current groups with radically different sounds. All are going to be showcased this weekend in a concert sponsored by Independent Music Fund.

Free Energy is a group from Philadelphia (although its members originally hail from Michigan) known for its 1970s classic rock sound, and they cite Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Cheap Trick as influences. The band has been together since 2007 and has soared to prominence in the past year with the release of their debut album, Stuck on Nothing. Free Energy received praise in reviews from both Spin and Rolling Stone magazines, and Rolling Stone named Free Energy one of the best new bands of the year. They have most recently been the opening band for Weezer.

With a very different sound from Free Energy, the indie-pop group Darwin Deez features guitar-heavy tunes. Interestingly, the group uses outer space as a frequent subject matter, and many songs reference the stars or planets. This approach led to success with their first single. Led by Darwin Deez (Darwin Smith), the New York City-based group has been acclaimed since their single “Constellations” was released in the U.K. in 2009, finding success with British fans of indie music in the U.K. Indie charts. Their album, Darwin Deez, was released in February of last year. Also in 2010, the group was featured on the cover of popular British music magazine NME. Darwin Deez is known for having interesting live shows, sometimes featuring choreographed dances by members of the band. The group is the brainchild of its lead man Darwin Smith.

Rounding out the talent-packed night is Land of Pines, another indie-pop group based in Seattle. The band has been together since their days as college students and before, although they’ve put college on hold to focus on their music. The members of the group have been together since high school, but it was only after they left for various colleges that the group realized they needed to keep making music together. The band’s music was described by a reviewer for the Sound on the Sound music review source as “incredibly promising local pop that flits between driving rock and sweet folk casually and with confidence,” and is filled with catchy melodies and an interesting mix of a male and female vocal duo.

The concert takes place on Saturday, April 2 at 8 p.m. in Sadove basement. The event is free.