Second Stage: No Eye Contact

by Robin Hilton

Download "Sing Children Sing" and "Magnificat"

You and Me and Other Fables, the full-length debut from the Brooklyn-based band No Eye Contact, opens with a stunning and utterly surprising bit of Appalachian shape note singing. It's a stirring kick-off for an album filled with gothic folk and gospel-flavored rock songs.

A record like this could be easily predictable -- add some strummed acoustics with a squeeze box and gentle melodies. But No Eye Contact keeps the mix from sounding too familiar with wonderfully off-kilter percussion, propulsive guitars, found sounds and rousing singalongs.

No Eye Contact started off as a solo project for frontman Raky Sastri in 2004. It's since grown to a quintet. This is actually the first two cuts off the album, since they run together so beautifully: "Sing Children Sing," followed by "Magnificat."

Lear more about No Eye Contact at the band's Web site.

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4:02 PM ET | 07-16-2009 | permalink

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