Parade

My initial thought the first time I listened to Parade was that they sounded like a less rocking version of Magnapop (that might not sound like very strong praise, but Hot Boxing is one of my favorite albums ever). And the two bands do have some things in common; an Athens-to-Atlanta lineage, a literate pop sensibility, and a kind of languid vocal style. Parade certainly highlights the pop over the rock though, throwing in a healthy dose of keyboards and those slightly dancey beats that are so in vogue lately. The arrangements take a "less is more" approach, giving the songs a chance to breath and find their groove (I feel like a dork having just typed that, but the way the bass and drums interact, "groove" seems like the right word to use).

They play a free in-store in Nashville this Saturday, October 20 at 5 pm at Grimey's, and their brand of Southern indie-pop should make a great soundrack for what looks like a will be a beatiful weekend afternoon.

Parade - "Penelope Shoes" (mp3) from A Red Button
Parade - "That's Hott" (mp3) from Answer Me