Smooth indie-pop awash with sparkly guitars and singalong melodies. Charlotte trio The Metric System (David Dorenfeld, vocals, guitar, piano; Sean Beck, bass, vocals; Olivia Neal, vocals and drums) moves their sound along over well-greased rhythm tracks, gliding effortlessly toward their pop destination. Although trace elements of old-school New Wave show up from time to time, The Metric System’s current catalogue is composed of mostly mellow melodies that float along as soothing background music for a leisurely lifestyle. “Si Loin,” an upbeat catchy radio–ready melody with a whistled chorus that’s hard to get out of your head, should be the breakout single. “Twisted Mind” recalls the ’67 Beatles Magical Mystery Tour period. “Cigarette Smoke” is a jangly, angular chunk of indy pop that would be perfectly at home in a Nada Surf set, with Dorenfeld doing a spot on Brit punk vocal impersonation Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong would be proud to claim. “Wait” has an R.E.M. feel, with Dorenfeld’s guitar chiming like church bells on a rampage. Dorenfeld and Beck have been playing together as a duo for more than a decade, and mesh seamlessly. Drummer Neal was added late in 2010 when the trio began calling themselves The Metric System. All three take a turn on lead vocals and harmonize like a family unit. This six-song EP of all original tunes is easy on the ears. Even if you’re not a pop fan, this one is worth a listen and a wish for a full-length release the next time.
This article appears in Feb 21-27, 2012.
