2 For 1!

Midnight Movies are a wonderful pastiche of a ton of bands and genres that have come before. Their new record Lion the Girl features a wide range of sound from thumping, dirty stoner rock to swooning, lovely experimentalism.Gena Olivier’s powerful vocals stand out like the “”white satin”” the band reference on their Nights EP. They not only channel girl-fronted garage rock like Sonic Youth and Yeah Yeah Yeahs but also the softer, more psychedelic female artistry of Beach House, Matteah Baim and even at times Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice. The songwriting on Lion the Girl is refreshing. The band make half-time to double-time switches repeatedly on “”24 Hour Dream”” while Olivier’s vocal melody is glaringly reminiscent of post-Smiths Morrissey. Elsewhere, the punk rock “”Hide Away”” and the wah-infused drone of “”Lion Song”” would please the small but dedicated Bardo Pond fan base.

ame The brave, well-chosen Moody Blues cover “”Nights in White Satin”” on the band’s Nights EP is better executed than anyone could have imagined. Flutist Sandra Wu solos as well as guitarist Larry Schemel, both showing proficiency they never break out on Lion the Girl. The cover appears twice on the record, one time with Olivier singing in French. It even features a remix of “”Patient Eye”” by Smashing Pumpkins alumnus James Iha who everyone forgets is still alive until he shows up doing something weird like this. All in all, Midnight Movies are a leftfield hit and neither Lion the Girl nor Nights should be missed.