At the core of the New Tragedies is husband-and-wife couple Aaron and Bev Weidner. They're joined by Jason Wright on drums, Dustin Kinsey on lead guitar and Nate Hofer on pedal steel. Aaron writes the songs and plays rhythm, Bev plays bass, and they team up on singing in a virtually constant duet manner reminiscent of Low. And like the chair-kicking couple from Duluth, the KC-based Weidners don't have the sunniest disposish of all the kids in day care. But they aren't the saddest, either.
More words and a free song after the jump.
Photo by Kenny Johnson
It's a predictable combination for such an attractive duo -- so sweet, so pwetty and soooo saaad -- but on their latest EP, Souvenirs, Aaron and Bev show maturity and innovation in their songcraft with lyrics and melodies that are weary but not tiresome. "Chandelier" has simple and catchy electric licks Ryan Adams would've cut off his bangs to have written first, and "Onward Christian Soldier" is an anti-war song to turn the heads of people who didn't think protest could sound pretty. This song, "90 Proof," evokes Neil Young when he was angry and still young.
Download: 90 Proof
Head to the New Tragedies' official site for two more downloads, then head to the Brick on Friday for the EP release party with guests the New Amsterdams. The EP is being released on New Scratch records. If that isn't enough New for you, there's always the New Extreme Cheese & Beef Quesadilla at Taco Bell. But you'd do better to spend your scratch on Souvenirs, which comes with the added benefit of not making you blow out your drawers while driving back to work from lunch. That would be a tragedy.
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