The sound of music

What does a good band name sound like these days? There are animals (Fleet Foxes), names that begin with “the”, and just strange combinations (Noah and the Whale?). The pop groups (and for some “pop” is a nasty word) have names just as strange as the “indie” groups. So we run across things like Foo Fighters, Magnetic Fields, or a Tokyo Police Club as well as Arctic Monkeys, The Flaming Lips or The White Stripes. But to be honest, when I look at the groups I listened to when I was growing up – were they any different: The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, Boston (or Chicago, or Orleans), Electric Light Orchestra, Led Zeppelin and many others. It’s hard to find a good name – one that stands out and hasn’t been taken already.

This Friday Karma Police will present their first CD at a special concert in the Muziekgieterij in Maastricht, the Netherlands. Quick translation: that is a local place (the Music Foundry) which supports young music talent. Karma Police is the three man band that Sean plays with. The CD has 10 original songs all written and arranged by Sean and played well by the band: Sean on guitar and vocals, Wouter on bass and vocals, and Cedric on drums and vocals.

I like hearing different kinds of music. Sean plays guitar – he taught himself and plays far better than I ever have (or will). It thrills me to see the creative talent he puts into these songs. But I think what I like the most is just hearing the guys practice. They come over to the house, head upstairs to the attic where they have the gear set up and play through their songs (or learn new ones). I like hearing the riffs, recognizing the songs I have come to know, hearing something new and wondering if it is a new song.

In May Karma Police will compete in a national band competition for bands with young members (14-19 years old) in Ghent, Belgium. They are excited about the possibilities, but mostly they are just enjoying still making music together. 
You can download their new song "Olive Tree" for free.