Sunny-on-top pop with chugging guitars, sticky hooks, and gorgeous harmonies.

11 MP3 Songs
POP: Power Pop, POP: New Wave



Details:
MAXTONE FOUR | HEY HEY DO IT ANYWAY
STREET DATE: June 12, 2007 | MAXIMUM TONE FIDELITY RECORDS

The album cover of St. Louis-based Maxtone Fourâs long-awaited sophomore release, Hey Hey Do It Anywayâtaken from a â60s Spanish pharmaceutical posterâwas the last piece of a musical puzzle that the band began assembling three years ago. The posterâs text, floating over the shoulder of a mod worker bee drifting off at her typewriter, translates as: âSick? No, Tired,â an image singer/songwriter/rhythm guitarist Brian McClelland felt best summed up the quartetâs mindsetâwithin the band and their personal livesâat the time these songs came together in late 2004. The cheerfully chugging guitar pop on the surface of these 11 tracks often masks seen-it-all, bittersweet lyricsâincluding sun-drenched but surprisingly wary missives on the original music scene (âJust Say I Knowâ), soul-sucking jobs (the analog synth-assisted audience fave inspired by McClellandâs day job as a 911 dispatcher, âI Fucking Hate This Placeâ), and friends that get old way too fast (âParentheticâ).

âThe irony,â reveals McClelland, âis that, two years later, the band has never been more funâand itâs never sounded better or more confident.â He adds that much of that has to do with the reformation of the current lineup (bassist/designated trou dropper Chris Clark has returned after a busy year sabbatical that saw him playing in several original local projects and an ongoing gig with the St. Louisâbased blues outfit the Little David Band.) and his long-time friendships with lead guitarist Mike Hellebusch and rock steady drummer Jeremy Miller.
But McClelland explains that it wasnât only Hellebuschâs driving guitars that helped shape the record. âMike saved this band twice: when he joined us two years agoâweâd been increasingly burnt out at the time, and Mikeâs involvement made playing in the band fun againâand when he offered to move this stalled recording project to his home studio and virtually take it over. Otherwise thereâd be no new record.â

Also in their corner during pre-production was one of McClellandâs favorite St. Louisâbased rock stars, Joe Thebeau (Finnâs Motel, AOK, the Finns). Thebeauâs main focus was helping tighten or refocus lyrics andâin âJust Say I Knowâ and âOK You Go Firstââadding some fun melodic twists, including the music for the formerâs (and the albumâs) ascending chord intro and the latterâs sweet A minor chorus turnaround.

McClelland spent much of his downtime between Hey Heyâs recording sessions performing and recording with fellow St. Louis skinny tie popsters Tight Pants Syndrome (an experience he says âreally upped my game, vocally and melodically, which is having a nice crossover effect with the Maxtone tunesâ), as well as working up material for another project covering an indie-r terrain, Whoa, Thunder!, described by McClelland as âgirl/boy skittery mod pop for cats.â Adding, âIâve been stockpiling songs for the last two years, so at this point Iâm just figuring out which song goes where.â

The bandâs upcoming live datesâtheir first performances in over a year, including a May 25th date at St. Louisâ Duck Room being taped for broadcast (and DVD release) by STLâs The Set âwill feature the debut of a new, yet-to-be recorded surf-rock shuffle called âUltimately Baby.â New to the audience, anywayâMcClelland first submitted the song to his bandmates two years ago. At that time they had decided not to work up any new material until they wrapped production on Hey Hey. âSo now weâre finally catching up,â McClelland laughs. âThatâs the good thing about taking such a long hiatusâbesides feeling totally re-energized and inspired to make music together again, we have a really extensive catalog of new tunes to choose from. After playing what was basically the same set for most of 2005, thatâs a welcome treat.â

âMaxtone 4 has been threatening to become the city's best power-pop band for the past few years. With its second album, Hey Hey Do It Anyway, the quartet is finally making good on its promise.â
-The Riverfront Times

âThe Maxtone Four delivers the goods when it comes to catchy, jangly guitar riffs and sharp-witted lyrical humor. Awesome music well worth adding to your top ten for 2007 listâthis is a crunchy pop treat along the lines of the Cars meets the Spongetones.â
-The Powerpopaholic

âStrong songwriting skills, as well as a singer whose voice is reminiscent of alternative trailblazer Alex Chilton, place this group a notch above the rest. Highly recommended.â
-Arch City Chronicle

"At the heart of all pop, from Justin Timberlake to the Flaming Lips, are hooks, and the Maxtone Four have more hooks than your hall closet.
-The Riverfront Times (2004 Music Poll nomination for BEST POP GROUP)

"Maxtone Four writes music that is jangly fun and lyrics with a million details and the occasional streak of wicked humor."
-IndieMusic.com

"The album comes off as a subtle guide, with love songs that arenât really love songs and hipster cool that is natural."
-Playback St. Louis

"A great, unapologetic pop band with style."
-The Rock ânâ Roll Report