Crafting good songs is not as easy as it looks. But crafting mostly happy, upbeat songs that just scream to be placed on film and TV is another level of difficulty altogether. That is, unless you are the Submarines. The male/female duo’s second album, Honeysuckle Weeks, already sounds like a movie soundtrack – and the music is bouncy electro-pop with solid arrangements and melodies that are unique and compelling at the same time. There is also a nice balance of vocals between lead singer Blake Hazard with the harmonies of John Dragonetti. If you can imagine this, think modern iPod commercial fare such as Orba Squara meets ‘80s new wave icons such as Siouxsie and the Banshees or anything from “Sixteen Candles.” Tracks like “The Thorny Ticket” or “The Wake Up Song” are as catchy as anything ever recorded, the latter showcasing the duo’s lush harmonies. But these two know how to get down and dirty too, as they do on the dark and haunting “1940” and “The Fern Beard.” And “Brightest Hour,” with Hazard’s dreamy vocals and sparse piano key hits, is a movie trailer away from bigger things for this duo. (LABEL: Nettwerk)
