Miniature Tigers – Tell It to the Volcano — music review

Miniature Tigers combines the woe and wit and pop palatability of Say Hi to Your Mom (now just Say Hi, unfortunately) with the charm of early Beat Happening (sans the over-the-top punk thing) and the folksy smooth smotherings à la Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s.

Difficult to explain, but the Miniature Tigers sound seemingly borrows from so many elements and classic genres, possibly even movie scores, that it ultimately creates something mind-blowingly unique. Helming the intensity and innovation that only Indie can provide, housed in a surprisingly polished and polite and pleasant package.

Their overall sound is enviably effortless, strict on the chorus to verse ratio, even though their talent and expertise is readily evident; throughout their debut album Tell It to the Volcano and through headphones, you’ll enjoy a bevy of everyday instruments, almost unrecognizable, almost as sound effects. Cuddly Charlie Band’s (above, far left) sweet, slight pre-pubescent vocals adds to the whole casual innocence. His pleasant whispy quality consistently carries you from broken hearts to peeping toms and it all sounds like a happy fairytale. Ordinary turns into extraordinary!

It’s music you just want to hug; they are so adorable and accessible… dialing down the usual pathetic self-loathing so many Indie bands milk. Sure, dissect the quirky lyrics and it’s still all doom and gloom, breakups and bullies, but by golly, you’ll never know with this extra-thick sugary shell that makes all of it catchy like TV theme tunes! Miniature Tigers are the music equivalent of the phrases “shit happens” so “get over it”, and I love them for reminding us.

FUN FACTS: On their economical official site (their MySpace page) they posted a cover of ABBA’s Mamma Mia… now I’m more of a ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’ gal, but this cover proves their sense of humor. Frontman Charlie and drummer Rick Schaier met on MySpace and are originally from Arizona. Charlie was going through an ABBA phase when he wrote ‘Cannibal Queen’.

Cannibal Queen video

Filmed in the Ghostbusters firehouse, or as drummer Rick Schaier accidentally called it, “Ghostbreasters” (I knew he grew that scuzzy mustache for a reason). Features Derek Mears, aka: Jason Voorhees.

Rick does Woody Allen in the Big Apple

About the Author

Kris Kobayashi-Nelson will listen to anything once. Her favorites include Trip Hop, oldschool Jazz (Sonny Rollins), electronica (Drum n Bass, Dubstep, Glitch), Indie, Experimental, Funk, Punk, Folk, Hip Hop, Classical (Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Chopin)… footfalls through November leaves, zipper pulls in the dryer, or ice clinking in a Summer glass… music is all around us!