Outside Lands Primer: Part 5 (of 12) – Infantree

Infantree. The name has been buzzing around town since the group’s sophomore release, Hero’s Dose, hit record stores and digital download waves a few weeks ago. In an industry flooded with talented indie folk acts, Infantree has managed to captivate the attention of legend Neil Young. In addition to landing a spot at this year’s Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco and dropping a solid sophomore album on Vapor Records, Infantree are slated to open for Neil Young this October. Not enough buzz for you? Hit the jump and find out why you need to see Infantree at Outside Lands this year.

Hero’s Dose represents significant musical growth in Infantree, comprised of Alex Vojdani, Donald Fisher, Matt Kronish and Jordan Avesar. The quartet, hailing from the San Fernando Valley, presents a much deeper and more mature sound with Hero’s Dose. The band’s sophomore release holds steady to their undeniable folk and psychedelia influences, often drawing comparisons to The Grateful Dead (seriously). Adding a refreshing spin to the well-explored cross section of indie-psychedelic-folk-pop, Infantree present a well-crafted and carefully constructed sound.

“What You Wanna Do” kicks off Hero’s Dose with a quick and catchy hook backed by harmonized vocals extremely reminiscent of early and mellow Fleet Foxes. The following two tracks – “Original Sin” and “Skinny Bones Jones” – carry through with the soft vocal harmonies driven by smart guitar work. If you find indie folk albums difficult to stay awake through, “Bag Of Tricks” breaks the trend and prevents Hero’s Dose from falling victim to the death knell of many indie folk attempts – monotony. “Bag Of Tricks” strikes through the record with powerful guitar melodies and vocal harmonies accentuated by small guitar solos that will make you want to put on a CCR album as soon as Hero’s Dose ends.

“Here Goes Nothing” – a haunting but pretty ballad off Hero’s Dose

 

The title track off Infantree’s sophomore release comes as a perfect showcase of the intersection of the group’s influences; “Hero’s Dose” is equal parts bluegrass, classic rock, and psychedelia, seasoned with a hint of polished pop. Despite their young years, Infantree displays a deep sound with some serious maturity behind it. Hero’s Dose solidifies Infantree’s position as Vapor Record’s best artist. You can purchase Hero’s Dose by visiting Infantree’s website or going directly to iTunes.

Be sure to check out Infantree at Outside Lands before they kick off opening for Neil Young this fall.

 

~ From harmonized folk vocals to driving psychedelic guitar riffs, Hero’s Dose has enough dynamic to carry through as a solid album, which is rare these days. Rather than focusing on individual songs that don’t necessarily flow together, Infantree have created a solid record that happens to consist of 12 tracks.

 

 

KCRW’s Jason Bentley chose “Skinny Bones Jones” by Infantree as today’s Top Tune on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Head over to the MBE site for a free download of the track!

Snapshot – “Fibber”, the first single off Hero’s Dose, departs a bit from Infantree’s heavy bluegrass influences, displaying more of the band’s electronic influences stemming from acts such as Nirvana and My Morning Jacket.

 

Music and concerts are way better with friends!
Suggest Infantree to friends who like: Fleet Foxes, The Growlers, Secret Colours, The Byrds, The Turtles, Dodgy, the Plastics, Bearshark, Flobots, True Womanhood, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Deerhunter, and Atlas Sound.