CD of The Week

What an appropriate title for the debut record from ∆, or Alt-J. Yes, this band has named themselves after a delta. Simply push the “alt” and “J” keys on your Mac keyboard, and you will get the delta figure, hence their name Alt-J. Why not Delta for a name? Because that would have been a bit “fratty” according to guitarist Gwil Sainsburg. But of course a band is more than just a clever name. An Awesome Wave is their debut record, and appropriately named because it took the four piece band from a Leeds University dorm room to the Mercury Prize.

In a world of boring, monotonous indie rock bands, Alt J is doing something different. They’re electronic, yet guitar based, with a keyboard thrown in. Not to mention, they have an interesting drum set up. (Try finding the sound of a cymbal on the record; drummer Thom Green doesn’t use ‘em!) With this super cool sound their creating, it’s the vocals on the record that really stand out the most. Singer Joe Newman has a unique voice, and when matched with the backing vocals of keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton, it sounds angelic and electronic at the same time. (See "Interlude 1" on the record for a cool example of this.) Core songs like “Matilda," “Fitzpleasure,” and “Breezeblocks” really make this record enjoyable. As much as they have their sound down, they’re still creative enough that each song sounds different from the last, all blending together to create a cohesively solid record.

This record proved to be an amazing start for these university friends. They’ve gained much popularity, sold out many shows, and even won that Mercury Prize thing. It’s all well deserved. Let’s hope they can keep riding that “wave” for a successful career. Hear my interview with Alt-J On Demand here.