If there were ever a First Friday headliner suited for the new New Moon soundtrack, it's this one. Close to Modern is an indie-rock quartet that cites influences such as Joy Division and The Killers. Sure, the band owes more to the dour artistry of the former than to the moody pop of the latter. But Close to Modern knows how to craft immaculate pop hooks. Songs such as "Where From Here" bristle with downbeat guitar chiming and machine-like drum pounding. The lyrics are pure goth-boy poetry: "All my life I've been all alone," sings 27-year-old Miguel Martinez. "By my side a red telephone/ And she never called me back/ She must have had a heart attack."
Close to Modern mixes it up on the Smiths-meets-Interpol jangle of "Sedentary Lessons," which fuses a driving dance rhythm against a sinister and decadent European club vibe. And speaking of The Smiths, the musicians will be making the ultimate sacrifice for First Friday: Vocalist Morrissey will hit the stage at The Joint the same time Close to Modern is scheduled to play downtown.
stoked