A wise man once said, “I’ll be the first to go on record saying that Cymbals Eat Guitars will end up indie famous within the year”. That man was Charles Bissel of The Wrens. Let’s just say that I think that he was onto something.
Cymbals Eat Guitars are a New York based led by Joseph D’Agostino, lead songwriter and vocalist. Forming in early 2008, after D’Agostino posted an ad on Craigslist which brought guitarist Matt Cohen, bassist Neil Berenholz, and keyboardist Daniel Baer to the group. Shortly after, D’Agostino’s high school friend, drummer Matt Miller, joined the group. It was February 2008, and frontman D’Agostino was still 19.
Over the next year, their debut entitled Why There Are Mountains came together. The songs are composed of intense clashing guitars, florid piano, and the occasional, (and very welcome) horn section. Once combined with D’Agostino’s rugged vocals and infectious song-writing, the vigorous tracks truly come together. It is within the context of the album’s explosive energy and swelling melodies that comparisons to Pavement stand true.
The variety on the record is astounding in its own right. From the grandeur, and intense instrumentation of “And the Hazy Sea” to the atmospheric and cathartic workings of “Share”, Why There Are Mountains truly shows off the diverse range that the band can span.
Simply put, Cymbals Eat Guitars are brilliant and Why There Are Mountains is a release that no fan of indie rock should miss. After a single listen of Why There Are Mountains, the truth in Bissel’s words will become apparent.
Cymbals Eat Guitars – And the Hazy Sea
Cymbals Eat Guitars – The Living North
Why There Are Mountains will be self-released and available be available for purchase soon. Digital versions will be coming to iTunes, AmazonMP3, and Lala within the month of February. But until then, you can purchase a digital version from CDBaby. Look out for a review of the album soon.
Official Myspace
Band’s Blog
Purchase Digital Album
Official Website coming soon
-Evan Kaloudis
