Vestiges

Formed in 2011, Grandma's Tea Party is a six-piece guitar and synth band from the vigorous alternative/indie rock scene of Bergen, Norway. Their debut EP, the five-track Vestiges, is a tight, danceable selection of jangle/synth pop tinged with the jazz-influenced British sophisti-pop sound from the '80s. Mix parts of the Style Council, the Ocean Blue, Luna, and Two Door Cinema Club to ballpark the nature and quality of the tracks. In early 2013, Grandma's Tea Party became one of a minority in the music industry to be grateful for the Swedish file-sharing website The Pirate Bay, when their first single, "A Wiseman Told Me," was featured on the site's home page. The posting helped the song's video hit six-figure views on YouTube and reach international ears. "A Wiseman Told Me" represents Vestiges well, with syncopated melodic guitar, rich vocals, and a range of dynamics that peaks on a catchy, head-bobbing chorus. Indeed, it would be difficult to identify a single, without prior knowledge, just by listening to Vestiges, as the record plays like an abbreviated greatest-hits collection. The opener, "Lyrebird Song," is at least as dance-provoking and hummable as "A Wiseman Told Me," as is the rousing "Nothing Needs Us" ("There's no need to worry for a while 'cause nothing needs us now"). Vestiges' sound is more throwback than cutting edge, but in a feel-good way with melodic and rhythmic aptitude that demands a full-length release.