It’s not the kind of thing you see coming: a group of Salinas youngsters laying down a sharp, polished debut CD on their own.
But Salinas natives Marcus Wade, Earl Salindo, Jonathan Esteban and Alec Anthony James – all in their early 20s – set out a little less than a year ago to put together a band that could breathe new life into their hometown. They aimed for something different than the thrashy and hardcore stuff they grew up on – and loved – something that transcends musical boundaries, defies logic and vibrates in your bones.
From the sound of their self-titled debut EP, they’re delivering on those high expectations and suddenly churning out some of the most potent and original music from Salinas Valley in a long time.
The Modern Life’s six-track record is fiercely entertaining, intellectually stimulating and easy to absorb. Adding to its impressiveness is the fact that it was self-produced and sounds no different than a mega-budget production with Bob Rock steering the wheel.
“The Weight of All Our Decisions” is a marvelous clash of early ’90s shoegazer hypnotic noise and the orchestral grandiosity and complex arrangements that defined some of the best moments of ’70s prog rock. Album bookend “Mind Complex” is an anti-linear tornado of rhythmic dissonance, multi-part harmonies and Mahavishnu Orchestra-flavored jazz arpeggios that would make John McLaughlin smile.
“We all come from different musical backgrounds so the music just keeps evolving,” Salindo says.
Another key ingredient that adds to the band’s originality: With the exception of Esteban (guitar and vocals), everyone in the group is fluent on guitar, bass and drums, and rotates depending on the tune. They take turns on lead vocals as well.
The Modern Life are also gifted technicians who can create the illusion of heavy synth action without touching a keyboard. All the wacky, synthesized sounds come from guitars. Wade and Esteban are wizards when it comes to manufacturing weird sounds using pedal effects.
On Saturday, The Modern Life perform at the Salinas Sports Tavern, along with Monterey’s The Silhouette Era and Earnest. This may be one of the last opportunities to experience The Modern Life live for a while; they plan on spending most of April in seclusion, working on new material for their self-titled full-length debut, which they hope to release before the end of the year.
THE MODERN LIFE, THE SILHOUETTE ERA and EARNEST perform 9pm Saturday, March 29 at Salinas Sports Tavern, 9 E. San Luis St., Salinas. Free. 422-5652.
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