Following their recent fab single, Tiers La Familia are back with a new full-length record. Tier Apparent is out this week and it's an eclectic mix of sounds. That's a big understatement, of course. Those in the know, know that this lot's vibe is all over the place. They've got no time for genre conventions, is what I'm saying, and I dig that.
Sef Sidney, Cheryl Kingan (75 Dollar Bill, The Scene Is Now), and Jeff Tobias (Sunwatchers, Modern Nature) and a host of guests create an atmosphere here that's vibrant as hell. "In a World" pops and shimmys with hints of Afro-pop and New Wave battling it out, while "M4A in 2092" bounces like The Go! Team and purrs like early Cabaret Voltaire. It's an enticing mix as far as this reviewer is concerned. "Play Dead, Play Dumb" even incorporates soundbites into its funk stew, as "IDK (Diggin')" serves up a bracing bit of electroclash.
Things percolate nicely on Tier Apparent. Tiers La Familia, like Algiers in recent years, manage to make smart tunes that are fun. There's things to digest here lyrically ("My Living Wage"), but lots more to get asses moving. There's hints of a kind of "Herbie in the Eighties"-vibe here, with samples jostling nicely with riffs and heavy rhythms (like on the ace "Brighter Everyday"). Less scattershot than my review might suggest, Tier Apparent is a tight, concise slab of cool, proof that genres can join up and magic can result.
Tier Apparent from Tiers La Familia will be out this week. Details below and at Strategy of Tension.
[Photo: Joe Sidney]