Last week I managed to haul my exhausted body from Venice and all the way to Silverlake just to see Army Navy play the incredibly small hipster joint, The Silverlake Lounge. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
We rolled up at a quarter to 11pm, just in time to grab a drink at the cash only bar and say hello to a few familiar faces around the dimly lit room. Army Navy took the stage, setting up their own equipment, and seeming entirely pleased to play such cramped quarters. This band has played
Conan O’Brien, contributed two tracks to the movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and opened for acts like The Dodos, yet these four LA-based guys seemed completely psyched to be playing their own familiar stomping grounds. (If this were Twitter, I believe a “#humblebrag”
would have gone right there.) They were out tonight to be with people who truly appreciate good music, and to promote their new and highly-anticipated album out July 12th.
If you haven’t heard of Army Navy, I need you to stop, take a minute, and give a listen; you will fall in love. Frontman Justin Kennedy’s whiney vocals make you wish he would croon in your ear all day. It’s a good kind of whiney, a uniqueness rarely executed well, except for maybe by the likes of Conor Oberst. If the vocals don’t get you, then guitarist Louie Schultz’s incredible talent and sheepish grin will. The boy can rock a guitar, a keyboard, and backing vocals in one song with an impeccable smoothness that can’t be faked. Drums your thing? By the end of their forty-five minute time slot, drummer Douglas Randall was completely drenched in sweat, and smiling from ear to ear. Their new bassist was really talented as well, though his skills were slightly overshadowed by my companion going on about how cute he was in my ear. Looks? Talent? Check, and check.
They’re a band that has fun with their music, and fun with each other, and this transfers over to the audience. Last week I brought four people who had never even heard of the band before, and by the end of the evening they had all been converted into fans. Army Navy played a perfectly varied mix of new stuff, as well as old stuff. My personal favorite? Their smooth transition from “Snakes of Hawaii” into a cover of “Get Right Back (Where We Started From)”, and then into the hit “My Thin Sides”.
Afterward we went across the street to The Thirsty Crow and sat around with a couple of whiskeys basking in the afterglow of what can best be referred to as Hipster Pop. Their new album is out July 12th and I strongly suggest you check it out. In fact, I suggest you check iTunes and see if you can pre-order it, I know they’re good for it.
Review written by Lauren Lomma @lomfry3
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