Real Estate

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Sample Album
ALBUM INFORMATION
EDITOR'S PICK

Total Tracks: 10   Total Length: 39:36

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Christopher R. Weingarten

eMusic Contributor

Christopher R. Weingarten is a freelance music writer living in Brooklyn, whose work can currently be seen in The Village Voice, Spin, Revolver, NYLON, and much...more »

11.16.09
Sweetly meditative beach pop fit for staring directly into the sun
Label: Woodsist / Revolver

Ridgewood, New Jersey summer bummers band Real Estate combines the dreary, drizzly monotony of suburban life with the meditative feel of a long sunbathing session. And those two things are pretty much all they sing about — note all those beachy, burbly, aquatic song titles ("Pool Swimmers," Let's Rock the Beach," etc). And though Real Estate are assuredly beach-centric popsters, don't expect much fun in the sun. A far more contemplative affair, their sandy blare is more like the disorientation that comes from staring straight into the sun, their basement Buffettisms ("Beach Comber"), slowpoke surf instrumentals ("Atlantic City") and cheery hooks ("Fake Blues") hiding behind tape crackle and reverb. Hell, the nearly five-minute wake-and-bake instrumental "Let's Rock the Beach" doesn't even bother to rock. Real Estate's pop is downcast, sentimental and occasionally naïve, clearly fueled by the shambling kiwi shenanigans of the Clean and bare-bones American indie like Yo La Tengo. But combined with their mushy production and unique attitude, it aligns itself with any number of contemporary movements: the lo-fi gurgle of nu-garage, the smeary reverb of glo-fi, the vulnerable harmonies of Grizzly Bear and even the weed-soaked nostalgia of Animal Collective. In short: surf's…

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Incredibly full, layered sound

mdl338

More of a rainy-day listen than a beach listen . . . unless maybe you're taking a nap on the beach. The songs move well, but I've just found them easier to enjoy in a calmer setting where my thoughts are free to go wherever the music takes them. Maybe I just need to find calmer beaches . . . anyway, some great songs here - like a mix of the Beach Boys and Yo La Tengo. Worth downloading.

user avatar

Good, but...

theenddecay

At times it's a little boring. After listening to Surfer Blood's album and comparing both, I would rather listen to Surfer Blood while on the beach. But if I were to pick an indie band that catches the summer/beach mood the best, then I would choose Little Joy. Seek them out on emusic if you haven't heard them.

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a fuzzy tonic of sweet jangly tunes

FloorPie

I checked them out on a tip and was very pleasantly surprised. A well put-together album. Put it on, kick back and feel the gentle buzz.

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On repeat.

ghalpa

I love that this band lets their songs be. Whether that means shakers-only percussion, an instrumental 2-minute/arguably half-finished idea, repeating lyrics when others aren't necessary...the point is, they let their parts breathe. I also love their melodies; brilliantly calm and familiar.

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Top 10 2009

DanimalStyle

The melodies of this beach pop shimmer off the neon white of winter as well. Rythm to surf the peaks. Lyrics of suburban memories.

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good stuff

bozogoot

took me a few listens, but this is a great album. kind of stoner-ish, out tune sometimes, slacker, beach bums from new jersey. if you like old pavement and yo la tengo, you can get into this.

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GBV meets Galaxie500 meets Brian wilson

PaulEHoward

Kind of wierd - kind of too fuzzed out - kind of cool

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summer jams

BadScooter

got hooked on Real Estate listening to the suburban beverage 7" all summer - have been waiting for the LP since, and it's no let down. summer jams to perfect i can feel the sunburn. if you need to try a couple out first - start with beach comber, suburban beverage and fake blues

user avatar

Complete

Charbs

Tracks one thru ten are complete. What I mean by complete is when you play this album it doesn't need to be shuffled around. It's what I like to call a straight thru album. Pop it on, kick back, and listen. Nice Job Real Estate!

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They Say All Media Guide

At first, Real Estate seems like another in a long line of cryptically Google-proof band names, but the group’s self-titled album proves that their moniker makes perfect sense. The band excels at finding the bittersweet, whimsical, and poetic in everyday suburban life — the real life behind real estate. They carry on this tradition from bands like Pavement, and echoes of that band’s laid-back, rough-around-the-edges beauty can be heard in their hazy jangle (shades of Galaxie 500, the Clean, Yo La Tengo and Oh, Inverted World-era Shins soft-focus melancholy also pop up from time to time). It’s no coincidence that two of Real Estate’s finest moments have “suburban” in their titles. “Suburban Dogs” spins a tale of comfortable confinement, its looping melody and guitars reinforcing its gentle constriction as Martin Courtney sings “suburban dogs are in love with their chains.” And while “Suburban Beverage”’s lyrics — which consist mostly of “Budweiser, Sprite, do you feel all right?” — aren’t nearly as profound, the song’s hypnotic warmth and epic length make it just as much of a standout. The band’s unabashedly pretty melodic sensibilities shine through on almost every track, making a nice contrast with their simple playing and not-quite lo-fi sound quality on pure pop songs like “Fake Blues” and “Green River,” as well as the more abstract instrumentals “Atlantic City” and “Let’s Rock the Beach.” While most of the album has a summery vibe, its closing track, “Snow Days,” shows that Real Estate’s classic melodies and crisp harmonies capture February just as well as June. Though half of Real Estate was already released by the band as singles and EPs, that just adds to the album’s instantly familiar feel — which is a large part of this unassuming debut album’s appeal. – Heather Phares

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Activity

  • 02.05.12 🇺🇸🏈🇺🇸
  • 02.04.12 You must narfle the garthok.
  • 02.03.12 COULD NOT BE MORE STOKED RT @twerpstwerps: Going on a US tour with Real Estate in April/May!! Little over excited? X http://t.co/qPWRbQpL
  • 02.02.12 RT @titus_ndronicus Seizing Elian http://t.co/EACnbUOu featuring members of @titus_ndronicus real estate Liquor Store and @andrewcedermark
  • 02.02.12 We're gonna have a *real* website really soon!! Promise!
  • 02.02.12 Just posted new US tour dates w/ @twerpstwerps in April. http://t.co/RF3BKXnQ
  • 02.02.12 Just in case you weren't sure this was the REAL real estate twitter, this shit's verified now.
  • 01.28.12 Tonight's show is "sold out" but 100 cash/paper tickets will go on sale 4PM today at the venue.
  • 01.28.12 We're playing at a (super) buffet tonight in Queens with @echobro, the Babies, Dogleather, @0PN DJ set. http://t.co/hC7DvfJU
  • 01.26.12 Cass McCombs' band got chops. What a great show, WHOA
  • 01.24.12 RT @JerrySeinfeld: I miss eating Pop Tarts everyday.
  • 01.23.12 RT @AlexFreaker: Babies and Real Estate family photo. http://t.co/jegEIkAA @kevinmorby @cassieramone
  • 01.22.12 RT @jonahthought: i have felt pain so i can do guitar solos
  • 01.22.12 "are you done with scollege?" "what?" "are you done with college?"
  • 01.22.12 RT @PWElverum: Shrimptricia. Name for a woman.
  • 01.22.12 Pray for Kim Dotcom
  • 01.22.12 RT @ducktailss: Cleveland, Ohio @realestateband at Beachland Ballroom tonight!
  • 01.21.12 Good idea RT @Norris_Norris: It's my birthday and all i want is a @realestateband guitar tab book #makeithappen
  • 01.21.12 Dry land is not a myth
  • 01.21.12 10000 do we get verified?