The Jane Anchor – Venus

The Jane Anchor
Venus

The Jane Anchor plays the kind of music that’ll settle you down out of your Godspeed Ye Black Emporer funk and make you remember why straightforward power pop can beat out experimental in a pinch. Yep, just great singing, melody and action packed drums and guitar.

Well, OK so I’m not trying to present it as simplistic music at all. On their latest CD, Second Wave, Kara Lafty leads The ‘Anchor with a semi-strident voice that is not as angry as perhaps, Sleater-Kinney, but is nonetheless extremely strong and confident. Sort of feels like Rainer Maria’s Caithlin De Marrais at times in tone.

The rest of the band is made up of Joann Schmidt (bass), John Faye (guitar, vocals), Brian Wilkinson (guitar), Dave Anthony (drums) and they do a tremendous job providing the well-oiled, pop machine to go with Kara’s vocals that reminds me of a band called Star Ghost Dog that produced a couple great power pop albums.

My favorite track of theirs off of Second Wave is called “Venus” and it’s the guitar beginning of this track that really does feel like a Star Ghost Dog song. Great soaring harmonies in the chorus of this song. On other tracks, such as “The Rays” I hear hints of Rilo Kiley appear briefly. Some great songs either way.

by Palebear