Who? Hailing from Tallahassee — where you’re more likely to see a Seminole than the Mexican border — it’s uncertain where Look Mexico got their name, but their pristine indie rock, which nods to vintage emo and post-rock, makes certain more people should know it. Together since 2004, the band currently features Matt Agrella (vocals/guitar), Tyson Kuhlhoff (bass), Josh Mikel (drums), and Ryan Slate (guitar). With two EPs under their belt, 2005’s So Byzantine and 2006’s well received The Crucial EP, Look Mexico dropped This is Animal Music earlier this month via Lujo.
What’s the Deal? Like with clear spring days, you can’t help but be transported to a happy place with Look Mexico on repeat. Their relaxed, intricate tone evokes Minus the Bear or American Football, nimble guitars constantly weaving delicate backdrops for Agrella’s heartfelt and melody-laced couplets, as in the lovely “Done and Done.” Ebbing and flowing with ease, the emotional swells of This is Animal Music often highlight earnest vocals, but most impressive are subtle rhythmic twists and turns that find Look Mexico fluidly flipping between dreamy instrumentals (“Dude, You Have a Bazooka”) and rustic frolics (“You Ever Get Punched in the Face for Talking Too Much?”). And quirky song titles (see above) add appreciated playfulness.
Fun Fact: Tour pranks are basically a given. On the road this past winter with fellow Floridians Fake Problems, Look Mexico found themselves looking for retribution for the ol’ smoke-bomb-under-the-hood. Matt Agrella tells SPIN.com, “We filled Fake Problems’ van with 200-plus crickets that we’d purchased for six bucks at a pet shop. It was our last day of tour together and our vans had built up a good amount of trash. They just thought the smelly food had attracted the infestation. It wasn’t until I sent them a text saying, ‘You can thank us for your new pets,’ that they realized how bad they’d been punk’d.'”
Now Hear This:
Look Mexico – “You Come Into My House, While I Sleep?” DOWNLOAD MP3
On the Web:
Look Mexico at MySpace
Talk: Would you tell your friends to be on the look out for Look Mexico?
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