Bishop Allen

Bishop Allen, a quirky, indie rock band out of Brooklyn NY, is spending 2006 working on an ambitious project. Their goal to release an EP each month of the year is more than half way through. Bishop Allen uses this project to show off their songwriting skills, which are both, broad and versatile rather than straightforward which is the mark of most pop bands. The first track on their March EP cleverly recalling the chorus from the Rolling Stones’ “Street Fightin’ Man” it is neither ode nor homage, but just simply rock n roll. In fact, it’s the only thing simple about the CD.


On the first track of Bishop Allen’s April EP, the bass drum that pounds steady throughout the song sounds like a heartbeat. Slowly new instruments are introduced, including a piano and string section. The skeleton of the song remains as the vocals rise above the music that keeps getting fuller. Similar to the cadence of Arcade Fire songs, “Flight 180” is all about the build up. Unlike The Arcade Fire however, “Flight 180” ends without a payoff; the freakout and abandoning of form and structure that ends “Crown Of Love”. Bishop Allen are both catchy and clever, but most importantly, they make their small pop songs sound large. Their neighbors to the north, The Arcade Fire, as well as other Canadian pop collectives like Broken Social Scene and The New Pornographers are unable to indulge in the intimacy that makes Bishop Allen so enjoyable to listen to.


Website:

Bishop Allen

Myspace:

Bishop Allen

Audio:

"Flight 180"