“Cat got your tongue,” Johnny Mathias asks early on during “Health”. Perhaps. Together, the four channel some balmy grooves, echoing early Blood, Sweat, and Tears, especially with their early morning harmonies and layered “highway rock” rhythm section. It’s tight, but oddly liberal. The group’s multi-instrumentalist Casey Gibson refuses to let the silence in. If he’s not at the organ, he’s at the piano, adding scales at a frantic pace. This jammy element keeps this sound fresh and separates it from, well, what you might find at your local corner bar. Lush instrumentation, but deserved.

Blame it on the family fare. Three-fourths of the group are siblings and it shows. Bassist Teddy Mathias and drummer Pete Mathias push their brother Johnny forward, throwing the proverbial bouncing ball that tugs and pulls at his soulful melodies. The brothers’ work, coupled with Gibson’s knack to fiddle about, keep this music engaging. This benefits the group, namely because the lyrics aren’t always quite there (“Architect”, “Ticket Line”). There are some high points – the visually fantastic “Slow Night at the Red Sea”, for example – but there are too many vague moments where Johnny sounds as if he’s barreling forward with a chip on his shoulder yet no clear target.

Though for an eighth album, Filligar sounds remarkably youthful, if not admirably fresh. Some might compare them to Kings of Leon, and they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong, but where the Followhill’s lack these days (e.g. convivial songwriting), Filligar excels. They know how to have fun, but they know when to get serious, too. On “Wild Nature”, Johnny chugs ahead and cuts loose, both lyrically and vocally, all while the others struggle to keep up (in a good way). It’s pretty cool. Now, if they focus on this sort of chemistry and leave tracks like “Ticket Line” in the notepads, then their ninth effort should really hit home. Still, for rock ‘n’ roll purists out there, The Nerve should suffice.

Animation:

35 mm – An animated montage that depicts 35 classic movies in just one minute!

Short Film/Documentary:

Smith Westerns: Die With Your Chin Up – A snapshot of a band on the brink of something big.

Freeebird #43: On the Stoop with Evil Dee Part 1 – Ladies and gentlemen, bleubird is back! This time we join him as he kicks it in New York and has a candid chat with Evil Dee about DJing, production, and the game of music in general. Bleubird discusses the matter a bit; “Nobs met him through digging and trading vinyl in NY, told him about Freeebird and asked if he would be into an interview, he regaled us with so many stories I had to break it into two pieces

Music Videos:

Tennis – “Take Me Somewhere” – It seems like Tennis is always trying to whisk you away to elsewhere with their peaceful brand of music. In this case, they bring you to a family boat vacation in Chesapeake Bay to make all your troubles melt away.

The Decemberists – “Why We Fight Teaser” – A Cluster 1 premiere! Since albums and movies get teasers these days, why can’t a music video? The Decemberists have teamed up with Aaron Steward-Ahn again to bring forth the next video from their chart-topping album, The King is Dead.

Colourmusic – “You For Leaving Me” – Hands down the craziest video you’ve seen in ages. No lie. If you’re partial to your stuffed animals, though, beware.

Filligar – “Robbery (Shocking Love)” – The Chicago rockers file into their van on a cold winter day, while they also rock out in the studio, shredding their song in its most bluesy and intense form.

Filligar – “Not Gonna Settle” – Sometimes, studio performance videos can be a total bore, but Filligar continues to keep it interesting. With odd angles, and an energetic performance, they clearly have no problem keeping their audiences entertained. Maybe you should see ‘em live? Yes.

Jail Weddings – “Tough Love” – A Cluster 1 premiere! Nothing like watching singer Jada Wagensomer enter a boxing match only to pulverize her opponent’s face.

Nobody Beats the Drum – “Grindin’” – Rogier Van der Zwagg, chief member of Nobody Beats the Drum, tries to beat another warped form of Tetris, by lining up as many rectangle pattern combos as humanly possible.

Lovett – “The Fear” – It took 400 citizens of Atlanta to make this portrait on modern society to happen.

Mystery Jets – “Show Me the Light” – Watch as individuals take a shot at the dreaded balance beam.

Don’t Forget…

– Want a constant stream of musical goodness? Check out our Channel, featuring over 30 music videos, several short films, and other nifty clips, all crammed together in one non-stop barrage of visual and aural stimulation.

- Social networking is a way of life, so follow us at @cluster1tv and on Facebook

I have to admit that I was very skeptical when I first started researching Filligar. It’s inevitable to make the comparison with, hype of the moment, Vampire Weekend. I mean both bands are keyboard heavy, indie rock influenced groups that attend ivy league schools, but this band is a much more talented group than VW in this writers opinion. Filligar is able to produce intelligent music, without coming across as pompous.

Filligar have a pleasant pop sound, with some jazz influence. Cherrystone Creek is a beautiful song, that is given the time and care to develop like a short story, slowing rising to the climax at the end. One of the most impressive things about their song writing abilities is the fact that they write a bridge into several of their songs (Venice Worlds Fair, Big Things). To often today, musicians stick with the verse-chorus-verse format and never challenge themselves or their listeners to think outside the box. Filligar is a breath of fresh air, in a genre that is growing stale.

You can see Filligar in action in a city near you…

Filligar Tour Dates:
05/17 – Hanover, NH @ Green Key Weekend
06/08 – New York, NY @ The Zipper Factory Theater
06/15 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
06/18 – Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
06/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Mint
07/04 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
07/27 – Chicago, IL @ First Annual Chicago Criterium Pro-Am Bike Race
08/05 – Nantucket, Massachusetts @ The Rose and Crown

Check Out:
“Apricot Jam”
“Cherrystone Creek”