NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH...

We all know how important a good band name is (yes, I went to see the band I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness based solely on the name), but with so many bands out there and the English language being limited as it is, things sometimes get confusing. We want to clear up just a few of them...


1) EVANGELICALS vs THE EVANGELISTS

Evangelicals
Despite the nightmarish album cover, The Evening Descends is atmospheric pop laden with big-stage histrionics and low-fi soul. Their sound is most certainly dreamy, though, and comparisons to the Flaming Lips, Grandaddy, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah may be inevitable thanks to the earnest tenor of lead vocalist Josh Jones. Lyrically, however, Jones delves into the darkness of the unconscious, straddling the line between surreal and insane, awakening in time remember which side is which.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH...

The Evangelists
Self-proclaimed freaks of nature, Northern Ireland's punk rockers are part Primus, part Frank Zappa, part Talking Heads, and all sorts of eccentric. With song titles like "Pervert", "Virgin Queen", and "Homicide", The Evangelists stake no claim in the intelligentsia. But they're likely more interested in blowing your ears clean off your head with raucous basslines and machine gun-drums.

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2) BLACK KIDS vs BLACK LIPS

Black Kids
Yes, yes - only two of the five members of this Jacksonville guitar pop set are of the African-American variety, so just don't worry about it. Black Kids make pop music they way it should be made, inspiring all the toe-tapping and head-bopping you can handle. Similar to the Shout Out Louds, imagine The Cure minus the goth and you come close to their sound.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH...

Black Lips
Somewhere between garage rock and vintage rock, this Atlanta foursome also slip in that southern rock element as well. Irreverence is the name of the game with these kids - writing a love song to a girl from New Orleans named Katrina; urinating on stage... occasionally into their own mouths (who are we to judge?). Given this convergence of sounds and ideas, perhaps psycho-billy is the most apt description. Don't be fooled, though: Black Lips know exactly what they're doing.

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3) JOE JACKSON vs JACK JOHNSON

Joe Jackson
Remember that sweet 80s song, "Is She Really Going Out With Him?"? Turns out that was Joe Jackson, and he's not even remotely a one-hit wonder. One of the forerunners in bringing New Wave to the US, the Brit is still making tunes. Now based in Berlin, Jackson just released Rain earlier this year. A minimalist sound of piano, bass, drums and vocals, Rain is more hit than miss, and Jackson is a talented musician to be sure.

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH...

Jack Johnson
Is this really the sound of surf music? I grew up wanting to learn how to surf (and sky-dive) because F.B.I. Agent Johnny Utah made it look so cool. If you recall, though, the Point Break soundtrack is a complex mix of Ratt, LA Guns, and Public Image Ltd. Even Frankie and Annette would be bored listening to Jack Johnson. Somebody call Dick Dale.

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Stay tuned for upcoming NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH... posts featuring:

Fuck Buttons vs Holy Fuck

Black Mountain vs The Mountain Goats

Deerhunter vs Deerhoof

Magnetic Fields vs The Field

Vampire Hands vs Vampire Weekend

The Go vs The Go! Team

-J2