Imaginary People – Dead Letterbox (ALBUM REVIEW)

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imaginarypeopleAmericana painted with a dance heavy vibe is what greets you on Imaginary People’s first full length album, cleverly titled Dead Letterbox. The NYC based five piece pulses with an urgent energy, propelled by a dynamic rhythm section as dark guitars and sunny synths push and pull, all dancing between soaring vocals. The two openers hit you like a boxer’s combination of danceable indie rock via “Simple Life” and “Summerstock.”  “Plain Purple” expands the texture with moody guitars and an outro that feels like it could ramble out into the night and not return.

The first single “Agata” begins with dreamlike ease allowing lead vocalist Dylan Von Wagner to stretch out his gripping voice via warbles or echoes that chill. Snapping back, the disco tinged party takes on an Eastern European vibe for “Russian Hill” before a pop friendly chorus punctuates things. A piano takes the lead (with some violin backing) on the waltzing “Gingerbread Girl” but the band keeps its swaggering edge with “she is” as the sexuality swells. Von Wagner lets the vocals rip for the cinematic “Miles” before “Stella” mellows out as a finale. If the constant bustling groove wasn’t enough “Fever Nation” commands you to “dance/dance/dance” but no directing will be needed once you reach into the Dead Letterbox and pull out these tunes.

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