Search - The Dimes :: The Silent Generation

At first taste, The Dimes may remind you of a piece of peppermint candy you found in the pocket of an old sweater that's been hiding in the back of your closet for some time. Initially you hesitate, but then you take a bite and suddenly your mouth is exploding with a cool, fresh, minty flavor that makes you feel like you just brushed your teeth. Wildly melodic and inherently quirky, The Dimes' sunny day indie-pop is born of the same Northwest, um, loins as The Decemberists, The Shins, Ben Gibbard and even recent Austin-to-Portland transplants, Spoon. Known for causing breakouts of unexpected hand-clapping and foot stomping among fans at their shows, The Dimes boys have cooked up some delicious indiepop goodness on their new release, The Silent Generation. However, even with all of the charming comparisons to their Northwest kin, The Silent Generation is built around something undeniably original. While singer-songwriter Johnny Clay insists the record isn't a full-fledged concept album, he will tell you that most of the record draws its inspiration from a series of Depression-era newspapers that guitarist Pierre Kaiser found buried beneath the old floors of his 1908 Portland home. At first, the papers were a novelty item and a good read for a history buff like Clay. But it wasn't long before he fell in love with the cast of bizarre characters he found, resurrecting them on the new album. Fascinated by the new material, the four friends started doing what they do best - geeking-out in the studio, creating the gleeful and quirky arrangements they've become known for: foot stomps and hand claps, punchy guitars, glockenspiels, melodicas, flutes, and their signature statement - perfect heart-warming harmonies that even Brian Wilson would applaud. The result is the band's first full-length record, unraveling like a soundtrack to an odd documentary film, bringing to life a world of endearing, yet enigmatic characters from long ago. A film where a 19th Century Czech opera star can hobnob with Al Capone era Chicago gangsters, while an eight-year-old boy from Kansas flies high above a cornfield after being sucked out of his home by a tornado. A strange world perhaps...but not to worry - The Silent Generation will rile you up, spook you a bit, romance you some, and then ease your mind with happy melodies, clap-along beats and unique instrumentation that will bring you back home.