Who? Three former jazz students, Wellington, NewZealand’s Connan Hosford (vocals/guitar), Ross Walker (bass), andSeamus Ebbs (drums), joined forces to form Connan & the Mockasinsin 2004. Following the self-release of the Naughty Holidays (2004) and Uuu It’s Teasy (2006) EPs, the trio signed with the U.K.-based Regal Recordings to issue Sneaky Sneaky Dogfriend in 2007.
What’s the Deal?Connan & the Mockasins bring a cartoon-ish brand of gritty,blues-inflected rock that literally reeks of the ’60s; Hosford’stongue-in-cheek falsetto, Ebbs’ primitive, manic drums, and Walker’srubbery bass lines come together with the swinging punchiness of theYardbirds, the polished indie pop stylings of Architecture in Helsinki,and the Technicolor kookiness of an episode of Scooby Doo.”Sneaky Sneaky Dogfriend” finds the band at their slinky, mischievousbest, but also be sure to check out jumpy, bluesy tracks like “NaughtyHolidays” and “There Goes Tane,” which sound something like a crossbetween Saturday Looks Good to Me, Hendrix, and Fraggle Rock.
Fun Fact:Every Christmas in his native Te Awanga, New Zealand, Connan makeshimself a new pair of moccasins from sheep’s wool. The soles arecreated from motorcycle tires.
Now Hear This:
Connan & the Mockasins – “Uuu It’s Teasy” DOWNLOAD MP3
On the Web:
Connan & the Mockasins at MySpace
connanandthemockasins.com
Talk: Will Connan & the Mockasins sneak up on you?
