Belle Reviews: Tally Hall

Members:

ROB CANTOR (Yellow)- Guitar and Vocals
ROSS FEDERMAN (Grey)-Drums
JOE HAWLEY (Red)- Guitar and Vocals
ANDREW HOROWITZ (Green)-Keyboard and Vocals
ZUBIN SEDGHI (Blue)- Bass

Yeah, those colors refer to the colors of their ties ^^

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tallyhall

Official Web site: www.tallyhall.com : Highly recommend visiting their web site as it has a TON of stuff on it

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TallyHall

Record Label: Atlantic

Buy their CD here, or through itunes (it's worth it!)

******

Several of my friends had recommended Tally Hall to me, so I decided to check them out. The first song I chose to listen to was a cover of Biz Markie's "Just a Friend." From then on, as fate would have it, I was hooked. I have always felt that there is no point in covering a song if you don't put your own personal spin on it and make it your own. The same rule applies to film-there are brilliant films that have no REASON to be remade, but people go ahead and re-make them anyway, and very rarely do the new films surpass the Hollywood classics. (If Breakfast at Tiffany's were to be re-made I would be devastated). But I digress. My point is that Tally Hall made "Just a Friend" into their own...it starts with the lyrics being spoken before the singer unabashedly and enthusiastically indulges in the rap with beat boxing accompaniment. The chorus, unlike Markie's version, is in tune (no hate Biz I love you on Yo Gabba Gabba! bro) and the band uses kitschy techniques like sound clips to supplement the song and vocals blend to add an indie rock vibe to it without forgetting the song's hip-hop's roots. And it is inarguable that Tally Hall has rhythm..."Welcome to Tally Hall" in particular will attest to this. There is a definite Beastie Boy's influence in Tally Hall's work but their music is stellar because they don't confine themselves just to hip-hop. Like a spastic neon singing groovin whirlwind of funk, when you listen to Tally Hall you are literally listening to FUN. They're a gem because they create great music without taking themselves too seriously. Their new album, Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum by alliterative title alone is indicative of the band's whimsy.

It's hard to pinpoint Tally Hall's sound exactly. Most of their songs tend to be characterized by energy, and the fact that they don't take themselves too seriously. ("Two Wuv" is a song about the sextasticness of Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen and how they have no chance with them). On their Myspace the three genres they list are rock, hip-hop, and classical. I don't know where they got "classical" from, but they probably chose it because "random" isn't a category. Also their songs, while silly in nature are clever and at times marked by a lovely intensity:

"You understand
Mechanical hands
Are the ruler of everything
Ruler of everything
I'm the ruler of everything
In the end

Without looking down
Gliding around
Like a bumbling dragon I fly
Scraping my face on the sky..." (From Ruler of Everything)

Songs like that remind me of The Weakerthans meet They Might be Giants, but there is no perfect way of pigeonholing Tally Hall and I wouldn't like them if there were.

Tally Hall is self-proclaimed wonky-rock. Which makes sense when you bridge the connection to Willy Wonka. That one took me awhile XD. I love the description, and I think it fits them perfectly. They are mad, mad men full of chocolate and delectable treats (should you play pinata with them). But do refrain from hitting them with sticks, unless of course you have their permission. And why would you want to when they are so full of awesome?

The band is based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan but they have a bunch of tour dates lined up for March-the band will be travelling all across the United States, from Massachussetts to Tennessee! I plan on catching their New York show and contacting them to see if I can't interview them on WUSB. Their new album is so full of energy, I can't imagine how awesome they would be like live! Actually I can and I'm super psyched. Thank you Jacob and April for giving me a heads up about them!

*****

This video below is much calmer than their typical sound but I just love it!