We last heard from Duraluxe on their I Duel Sioux split CD with Southern California space pop kids The Lassie Foundation. The Athens, Georgia transplants rework that collection's "Hit So Hard" on The Suitcase as a kind of lithium-filtered version of Modern English's signature "Melt With You" crossed with The Flaming Lips' "Race for the Prize." Frontman Troy Daugherty croons "I'm hearing bells / I'm seeing stars / You hit so hard" with a disaffected cool and vocal quality akin to Poster Children's Rick Valentin. Former Breakfast With Amy guitarist Chris Colbert's noise-pop guitar heroics propel the cosmic plea of "Please Be Cool," while mellotron keyboard voices saturate the Lips-like "All Together Now." The band's most recent addition, Megan Morrison, fleshes out the piano-spiced "7ths and Minors" with layered lounge harmonies.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Ken MuellerThe hippest of all trips. Duraluxe? Sounds like some newfangled brand of vacuum cleaner? Actually, it's one of the most happenin' indie pop bands out there, and The Suitcase is quite possibly the most happenin' CD of the year so far. Swirling, noisy guitars are at the forefront of this psychedelic alternative retro blend of indie pop that'll have you smiling from start to finish, and is bound to…Similar sounding releases
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