Little Owl
Stories and Observations of Argus Madur
Just when you thought you’d hit your cutesy-named indie-collective quota, in comes Little Owl to blow all your preconceptions out of the water. For their debut EP, Stories and Observations of Argus Madur, the S.B.-born six-piece aims high and achieves an eclectic offering of folksy pop, twee-tinged rock, and Balkan-infused waltzes. Stylistically, Stories takes cues from all points on the contemporary music map. The slow organ and drum flourishes of “Black On White” remind us of Hosannas; “Psalms, the Mariner in the Doldrums” is Yann Tiersen meets He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister; “Naturally,” a nod to avant popsters Menomena. Still, it all—from howling guy-girl harmonies to sea-shanty–style deliveries to epic violin sweeps—remains cohesive, earnest, and inspired, making for an EP that scores big and coyly hints at what’s to come. Little Owl unveils Stories and Observations of Argus Madur this Saturday, December 18, at Yoga Soup at 8 p.m. Visit facebook.com/littleowlmusic for info.
