Princeton : Cocoon of Love

<img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/princetoncocoonoflove.jpg" alt=" " />The boys of Princeton (Street) are matriculating along nicely. ...
7.4 Kanine
2009 

Princeton : Cocoon of Love

Southern California has long been known for producing sounds as sunny as its skies, but ever since The Beach Boys perfected it, other bands have only been able to aspire to being ‘neo-Beach Boys’.  But the fellas of Princeton (Street, in Santa Monica) come at it from a more intellectual perspective on their first full-length, Cocoon of Love.  Sometimes their improved orchestration can’t balance with the very fine vocals, but Cocoon is an impressive piece of work.

When Princeton put out their debut EP, A Case of the Emperor’s Clothes (QRO review), the nice-but-not-standout release didn’t quite put them on the map; they were still more notable for being fronted by twin brothers, Jesse & Matt Kivel.  But, taking a cue perhaps from their not-hometown, the band got ultra-intellectual with last year’s Bloomsbury EP, a record inspired by & about the famed literary circle, specifically Virginia Wolff.  Since then, Princeton has built & built, including tours with Ra Ra Riot (QRO spotlight on) and performing Bloomsbury at New York’s famed Lincoln Center – backed by a dance troupe!

Princeton has set those minds to greater orchestration on Cocoon of Love, without abandoning their core sunny sounds.  They overdo it a bit on tracks like "Calypso Gold", "Martina and Clive Krantz", and "I Left My Love in Nagasaki", as the vocals from either/both Kivel get lost somewhat.  But those vocals are perfectly pitched with the orchestration on single "Shout It Out", so enjoyable you truly do want to do said thing.  No other track quite matches "Shout", but the mixes of cheer & sadness on openers "Sadie and Andy" & "Show Some Love, When Your Man Gets Home", as well as penultimate "Worried Head", all come close.

Princeton don’t have the balance down pat yet: even as some tracks overplay things, the swaying "Sylvie" and restrained finisher "The Wild" undercook.  But they definitely have their own sound & charm (and the brothers Kivel’s good looks don’t hurt matters…), and are matriculating along nicely.

MP3 Stream: "Shout It Out"

{audio}/mp3/files/Princeton – Shout It Out.mp3{/audio}

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