Band of the Week: Antiqcool

I recently received an email suggesting a track by UK-based band Antiqcool that I might like. Naturally, I gave it a listen. Extremely catchy, "Already Late" caught me off guard. The track recalls Sting's vocals while the accompanying music and harmonics brings about comparisons to early Coldplay (see guitar centric songs like Coldplay's "Yellow" and at times slower track "The Scientist"). Other reviewers have even suggested Crosby, Stills & Nash. Either way, there is something seemingly classic and intriguing behind Antiqcool.

Solid, both musically and lyrically, Antiqcool's melodies and light guitar strumming begs the listener to hit the repeat button. "Already Late," is just one example of a song that gets stuck in your head long after the last note is played. Click here to listen to the track for yourself! (If that link doesn't work for you try it on GarageBand here.)

The music featured on Antiqcool's MySpace page is extremely versatile. "Yesterday's Gone" is more of a ballad showcasing great emotion throughout the song (a bit airy which begs a Beach Boys vibe to me) while "Full Metal Jacket" is another catchy, yet unexpectedly edgier track.

What's curious about Antiqcool is that the band, or rather the concept of what is known as Antiqcool, is a mysterious collective pool of artists who write, record and occasionally perform together. There is no set songwriter or musician. Their MySpace states, "Sometimes I work alone as a singer songwriter, other times I get together with friends and collaborate. Making music that we enjoy playing and other people want to hear is all we try to do. I like to think of the Internet as a sounding board to get songs heard and listen to the feedback. It helps to generate an overall picture of what is working and what needs to be fixed."

Their MySpace description continues: "If you like well crafted songs with intricate guitar arrangements and vocal harmonies you've come to the right place," and I couldn't agree more. While the "Sounds Like" category describes Antiqcool as, "The Police arrest Fleetwood Mac defended by Crosby Stills and Nash in Simon and Garfunkel's Crowded House," I think it may be best if you check them out for yourself and come up with your own conclusion.

Give Antiqcool a listen on their GarageBand profile: here or MySpace. I'd love to hear what you think.