First Nation – First Nation (Paw Tracks)

This weirdo folksy tribal poppy beast is a three piece from New York that seem to exist in a similar kind of world to the likes of Animal Collective and Gang Gang Dance (who are mentioned in the liner notes) yet are probably a little more low key. They’re also a little more straight up, offering an off kilter yet endearing approach to melody. They utilise electric guitar to anchor many of their tunes however it’s their vocals, the kind of careless sounding yet carefully placed wailing that really makes First Nation something interesting. If the Boredoms were an all female folk band then they might be First Nation. Their instrumentation is strange, a prominent guitar, flutes, odd percussion. It sounds sloppy, carelessly, almost haphazardly put together and when the strange singing stops they often drift into these amazing little jams that seem as influenced by Arabic music as any of their cooler than thou New York contemporaries. This is the girls debut album, released on the Animal Collective’ Paw Tracks label and whilst they do seem to take some time out to howl abstractly at the moon, many of the tunes despite their experimental instrumentation, feeling of fragility and off kilter oddness are not only song based but really quite infectious, and that’s without making the slightest commercial concession. You’ll be atonally wailing along in no time.