Tigers? In Arizona? Preposterous!
If you haven’t heard of Miniature Tigers thus far, you’ll know exactly who they are in the near future.
By Kristi Alexandra [Culture Editor]
Miniature Tigers
FORTRESS
(Modern Art)
If you haven’t heard of Miniature Tigers thus far, you’ll know exactly who they are in the near future.
The four-piece made up of lead guitarist Charlie Brand, drummer/vocalist Rick Schaier, keyboard/vocalist Algernon Quashie and bassist Alex Gerber, released their second full-length, Fortress, on July 27 and it’s surely the one that landed the boys a spot on the roster of Chicago’s Lollapalooza.
The 10-track gem is an indie-rock masterpiece from top to bottom, with inflections that land somewhere between the wistful, upbeat Monkees and the uber-hip swagger of the Strokes.
The disc kicks off with “Mansion of Misery”, a light-hearted, eclectic tune that would easily fit as an anthem to a daydream in candyland. Except for the sombre lyrics that accompany the uptempo song, there’s nothing miserable about this track.
“Dark Tower” offsets the ironically chipper tone of the album, with its slow, melodious harmonies and subdued tones. That’s just a brief moment on the record, as “Gold Skull” pops out as track 4. The song, produced by Neon Indian, is about as electronic as the boys get on the disc, as they continue to prove that anything they do on the album, they do well.
“Egyptian Robe”, “Tropical Birds”, and “Lolita” beg for multiple listens before the record ends on “Coyote Enchantment,” lest we forget the band’s animal roots.
Trust us, this is the album that’ll be hanging out in your car deck for the rest of the year.
