Album Profile: San Cisco

The bright perky strum of a guitar resounds. A boyish voice sings pleadingly; a girlish one answers, coldly. You're hooked. You're so excited to purchase this little gem for your very own, you can hardly remember the password on your iTunes account.

The song, Awkward, is the lead single from the ep of the same name, just released by Australian youngsters San Cisco. The ep’s 5 songs span a range of influences, but the most telling are those of the Strokes and Vampire Weekend.

First, the Strokes. The once-vital NY revivalists achieved their signature sound from the contrast between their singer’s swinging phrases and the band’s metronomic pulse. San Cisco have a similar dynamic, in that their singer provides the music with personality and movement, while the band plays it pretty straight. This device can create a musical tension that allures and excites.

Then, there’s Vampire Weekend, whose influence is felt in a different fashion. Both bands make guitar-centric music that is straightforward, happy-go-lucky, rhythmic, and catchy. But like Vampire Weekend, San Cisco’s music sometimes sounds pasted together, with shifts in tempo, key, and character that can feel forced, clumsy, and distracting. It’s not a fatal flaw, but a flaw nonetheless.

Apart from that, and the blatant overuse of doo-wah refrains (3 out of the 4 original tunes include them), the band has real potential, with infectious energy and a singer capable of drawing in the uninitiated. One to watch out for.

- Ira Rinn

www.facebook.com/sanciscomusic

San Cisco's sophomore EP Awkward is out in the U.S. on the band's own record label Island City Records independently through MGM. It has reached #1 on the Single Independent Distribution charts in Australia and topped at #9 on the ARIA Top 20 Australian Singles chart. Praised by outlets from VH1 to Consequence of Sound, San Cisco's newest release has the potential to plant them firmly in the U.S. indie rock scene.

The four-piece emerged from Fremantle, Western Australia only few years ago. From humble beginnings of weekend jams to being nominated for a 2011 Unearthed J Award, the band have a natural chemistry, growing organically into their own mold to create their sophomore EP, Awkward.

Following on from their success of their debut EP, Golden Revolver, San Cisco returned to the recording studio with Steven Schram (Little Red, Little Birdy and Cat Empire) in Melbourne to delve further into the songs they had perfected on stage and in the backyard shed. The finished product is their sophomore EP, Awkward, featuring five tracks of indie pop goodness, showcasing Jordi’s turn of phrase and Josh Biondillo’s varied influences in his music writing. In its entirety it is an eclectic mix of indie pop with dashes of rock and slashes of synth. Each member of the band brings a different influence to the table from their diverse and eclectic palate of indie, rap, hip-hop and jazz.

Lead single "Awkward" is an unmistakable pop gem featuring the vocal talents of both Jordi Davieson and drummer, Scarlett Stevens. The adorable video for the track was premiered on Consequence of Sound's Cluster1.tv.

The Awkward EP out now and the band is already in the studio recording another batch of songs. There will be more to come from San Cisco soon, so keep your ears peeled for more slashes of synth and dashes of rock.