Annabel

Now That We're Alive

Annabel is a band from Kent, Ohio and on Now That We're Alive (their debut EP) they sound what I'd imagine the Get Up Kids might have sounded like if they listened to a little more shoegaze and a little less hardcore when they were teenagers. In other words, Annabel's Now That We're Alive EP, is a gooey little slice of melodic indie-pop that sounds familiar but fresh. the five songs on the EP Annabel show that Annabel can do buoyant and upbeat or dreamily slow and drifting equally well and string songs together in a way that somehow seems greater than the sum of the individual parts. Things build, break, and just plain rock. Now Will has been suggesting I check these guys out for a while, and I'm glad that I finally have. Now That We're Alive is definitely a welcome addition to my collection. It won't wow you into submission after just one listen, but (rather) it grows and blossoms every time you hear it. - Can You See the Sunset ( link )

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The three musicians from Kent, Ohio who call themselves Annabel exude a sense of optimism and happiness that is rarely seen in today's pop scene. If pressed to define their style of music, I would have to say that it's more of a punk-pop-retro hybrid served on top of a big band platter. The three band members (Ben Hendricks, Andy Hendricks, and Scotty Moses) perform in perfect synthesis with one another bringing the audience a tasty and wholesome musical treat.

The first track on Now That We're Alive, "Parade Rest", begins with a deceptively subtle start that guides us in to a full on introduction to the je ne sais quoi flavor of Annabel. The other (read more)