Photos By Darren Kim
(darren@rockscope.com)

Music Will Prevail

At first glance, it's obvious The Deadly Syndrome have all the right ingredients for a successful indie rock band. You got songs with blissful glockenspiels, foot stomping accordion riffs, and psychedelic drum-offs.

Their ridiculously delightful single Eucalyptus contains many of these elements to form a delicious signature dish of indie rock with a perfect blend of musical flavors for your ears to consume.

Even Microsoft, the corporate behemoth quietly dabbling in the art of taste-making, took notice and featured Eucalyptus in one of their viral Zune commercials. Not bad for a local Los Angeles band who burst onto the Silver Lake scene just two years ago.

But once you get past Eucalyptus, you'll discover The Deadly Syndrome's folk inspired melodies are much deeper and more interesting than their fill-in-the-blank spiels and accordion jams.

Just one listen to lead singer Chris Richard's wistful crooning and you'll understand whatever Chris has... he just has it. -It- being a voice so unique and beautiful, it could possibly be made out of the same stuff that Neil Young or The Doobie Brothers were made of.

You see, I have a theory The Deadly Syndrome were just a really talented classic folk-rock band from the early seventies who were accidently teleported into the future to play good music for our undeserving ears.

Their style is throwback to earlier times when music was all about.... well... music. When you didn't have to worry about managing your MySpace friends or embedding your homemade YouTube videos. Days when if you were good enough, somebody influential out there would take notice, maybe play you on the radio, and hand you a bag full of cash to sign on a dotted line.

It seems The Deadly Syndrome are still waiting for their bag of cash, but I'm always reminded by a certain music magazine's motto that 'good music will prevail'. And if The Deadly Syndrome keep recalling whatever ghosts they are channeling to create their reflective sounds, it's just a matter of time before everyone takes notice.

Videos

Eucalyptus

Notable Links

Daytrotter sessions
Official Site