Halrem Shakes

"Carpetbaggers"

Even through my extensive research (read: little), I still can’t seem to find out why these guys decided to name themselves Harlem Shakes. I can’t help but think of little kids in sweat suits dancing in P.Diddy videos. Aside from the imagery that comes with the name, I can’t seem to get enough of the bands EP Burning Birthdays. The lead off track “Carpetbaggers” starts off on some heavy tom thuds and naked guitar plucks. The chorus gets a slight doo-wop treatment with “oh-oh’s” breaking up the vocals. My first take on the song left the impression of a hybrid between Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Wolf Parade. It may not be entirely accurate, but it’s a good start. While most tag the band as lo-fi indie rock/pop, they don’t sound any more lo-fi than a majority of other stuff out there. Regardless of inaccurate tags, Harlem Shakes are one of the most promising bands buzzing around the blogosphere. This is one of the few instances where you’d benefit from tuning in to the hype. Either way, you’ll hear from them again soon enough.



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