Echoes on the Ground
Mr. Gnome
Tucker Records

Alt-rock duos, well, rock. Unlike a full-blown ensemble, alt-rock duos have a daunting list of tasks to check off every time they pick up their instruments. It's only rock and roll to you, but the power of two can be a lot of work; to construct and maintain such a sound takes more than just intention.

First, there's this little thing called charisma. With two or three other members in a band, you can have an off-night on energy and people might not notice. You don't get that luxury in a duo. Then there's the matter of providing passion and emotion through your sound, while attempting to fill the space AND maintain a minimalist edge.

It ain't exactly easy... but plenty have done so with incredible success: Local H, Tegan and Sara, the Inbreds, Portishead, Black Keys and the notorious White Stripes all come to mind rather quickly.

And so it goes for ethereal indie rockers Mr. Gnome, a two-piece alt-rock act from our very own backyard. Echoes on the Ground is Mr. Gnome's debut EP, something that (on paper) could be viewed as a reverse White Stripes blueprint. But it's oh-so-much more. With Nicole Barille covering vocals and guitar and Sam Meister keeping time on drumkit, they combine gritty, driving vocals with chunky, hard-edged syncopation. The results are staggering.

Now, I'm not sure I get any "trip-rock" media concessions out of Echoes, mostly because Mr. Gnome never gets all "shoegazer" (early Catherine Wheel or My Bloody Valentine) or trip-hop on us. But the two collaborators are razor-sharp together, have consulted their Trouser Press and can light up the speakers quite well.

The first cut "Drunky Stoney" screams Black Sabbath fronted by a breathy Fiona Apple. Barille's vocals often come across like a dirty Apple after a hard night of partying; her rock guitarisms are defiantly swaggering without any false intention or bravado. She earns instant cred for such courageousness. Her work remains strong on the other four cuts, which follow suit with fiery garage rock aptitude, intensity and a baroque sense of encoded sensuality.

Meister himself approaches the kit with a cocksure attitude and a jazz-infused organic approach, insuring that cuts "El Marko" (shades of Primus in here? Whoa!) and the set closer "Westown" turn on the proverbial dime. When Meister pounds those skins, it's determined stuff--like he's cutting through the dense pre-industrial dirge as Indiana Jones might a dark jungle with a rusted machete.

But all the adjectives and adverbs and colorful metaphors and kudos don't even begin to tell you how much these guys rock. And way beyond their years, to boot. For Barille and Meister, that so-called "daunting list" goes right in the fire. Behold the power of two known as Mr. Gnome, one of Cleveland's Next Big Things in alt-rock. Go see 'em and see for yourself.

Mr. Gnome hosts a "Christmas Party" gig at the Hi-Fi Club in Lakewood on Friday, December 23. Other bands on the bill include The Doctor Teeth, If These Trees Could Talk and Host Echo. For details check out http://www.mrgnome.com.

From Cool Cleveland Contributor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

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