I will remember 2008 as the year Bay Area music was put back on the map, thanks to the national attention showered on the likes of The Dodos, Birdmonster and The Morning Benders. With that being said, I would like to look to future while selecting the best local album of 2008 and think about who just might be the next great band to break out from the Bay Area. If their debut Innocent Ghosts is any indication, I would say Geographer have a pretty good shot.
Mike Deni’s voice carries both a feeling of loss and a sense of hope, as evidenced by the musical journey of opener, “Can’t You Wait.” With its subtle electronic beats, gentle use of strings, and occasional male/female harmonies, Geographer create a unique sound over an album that really seems to tell a story. As good as Geographer are on record, it hardly to compares to their brilliantly flawless live set – a high point of which is a cover of New Order’s “Age of Consent”.
This contribution was written by Will Benham, the Founder and President of New and Used Records.
