Got this updating of a throwback '50s harmony sound from The One & Nines who put this "Tell Me" sngle out on Cotter Records, and I'm pretty sure this 12 piece wanted the 7" format to reflect the roots of the 45 around that period as well.
The A-Side's "Tell Me" is a massive blown out classic '50s pop structure, BIG horn section, lots of R&B soul from Jeff Marino on dual duties of vocals and the reverby wet electric. This one reminds me a lot of that "Love is Strange" track from Micky and Sylvia, it's a combination of Chuck Berry era rock and roll, surf picking and even a Stax motown sound, keeping in mind that these are area's far away from what little knowledge I may have picked up in the past few years of this, but it feels like it comes out of the same place Electric Cowbell does: they greatly appreciate this overlooked style and are faithfully recreating a version of it with a contemporary angle to everything. The horn solo in particular near the end is sort of like that Calexico inspired Mariachi, and a lot of the latin stabs into unfamiliar waters on Electric Cowbell as well, sometimes that metal brass squealing belongs on the mini vinyl. Backup vocals from Vera are responding to Jeff's lyric in every verse on par with his controlled delivery, there's plenty of backup Doo Wop layers vocally making this dense mix of instrumentation probably ideal for an actual dance hall, bring back the velvet curtains and singles mixers at the churches, The One & Nines are headlining.
The B-Side, "Make it Easy" features Vera now taking a crack at filling this track with the same kind of soul, and she can clearly deliver the goods, from breathy and belting. Everything is faithfully arranged, this reconstruction is unbelievably put together in support of this room filling vocal. Almost funky, the big melody is driven along with this backbeat, the horn section doing this great punch and fade away during the chorus. A little bit classic rock influenced even by the end, like Janis on Pearl, having already arrived at this ensemble blow the roof off place it takes alternative bands years to get to, and out of their element, completely fail at. Leave it to the One & Nines guys, they're products of a hell of a music education and didn't get here by luck and talent alone.
On black vinyl from Cotter Records, who have the most minimal site on the best way, they just need a link to this record already. Go to The One & Nines direct.
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