The
Capricorns have exploded onto the scene with the look, the sound, and the attitude. With their second album, "In the Zone",
the duo has come up with thirteen classics that will insure their place in the history of
pop music.
Kirsten
(the one with cat eye glasses and a perpetual cigarette) and Heather Lynn (the one with
the wig collection and amazing ass) both sing and play Casio keyboards. For such a simple formula, the Capricorns write
surprisingly intricate songs. Their topics
range from teenage boyfriends to revenge to fashion tips. Because
of pressure from their diehard fans, who wanted to be able to listen to the Capricorns'
catchy party tunes in their bedrooms at home, the girls decided to record. They went to Cincinnati, Ohio and made their debut
album, "The Capricorns Are Gonna Get You".
On their own label, they released the 12 song cassette, having no idea how
Capricorn-Fever would sweep the nation. At a
New Years Eve party in Washington, D.C., Paroxysm Records bigwig Jason Barnett heard the
record and knew that the Capricorns would be the next big thing. He immediately contacted them and convinced them
to sign with him. The rest is history. Last Summer, the Capricorns went to Athens, GA to record the follow up album, "In the Zone" with notorious Elephant Six-er Chris Bishop. The result is a 13-song pop classic, which has been critically acclaimed. Find out what everyone's talking about. But proceed with caution: the Capricorns are contagious! |
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In the Zone track listing: The New Sound, Nintendo Song, Geeky Pop Song, Remote Control, The Closet, The Longest Drive, Stay Awake, Nathan II, Song for 18, The Back Room, Teenage Boyfriend, Pretty Girls, In the Zone
CHECK OUT www.thecapricorns.com!
Reviews of "In the Zone":
Everybody keeps harping about finding the new sound, whether it be imported from Sweden or fabricated just for gags by some major label A&R guy. Everyone is looking in the wrong place. The ever illusive "new sound" isn't something discovered by looking high and low. It finds you. Case in point, The Capricorns. This eclectic duo relies on ingenuity, two mics, a tambourine and a bunch of keyboards to create one of the slickest things you'll ever hear. Heather Lynn and Kirsten Nordine reinvent the pop song for the new millenium by stripping it down to its basic elements and then sweep tradition under the rug. There are no guitars or drums because they're not necessary. And the songwriting is genius as well. Stop drooling over that "Party Hard" nonsense, it'll be used to sell you the latest Nissan Sentra next year. And forget about The Strokes - THIS is it. When it comes to music, there are those who get it and those who think they do. Which side do you want to be on? -Steve Dwyer (FAT CITY)
"Refreshing," that's the word for it — which may seem strange, in that the Capricorns have clear roots in nervous synth-pop energy. But compared to the endless run of willfully trashy garage/punk bands that after a certain point plagued music circa 2002, having a band with a "The Somethings"-style name that actually brought something comparatively new to the table can't be celebrated enough. The duo of Heather Lynn and Kirsten Nordine, sharing vocals and keyboards (along with Lynn on tambourine), fire up from the start with "The New Sound" and just don't stop, celebrating everything from video games to teenage boyfriends and back again. Their aesthetic suggests a healthy love of D.I.Y./riot grrrl approaches, but there's no willful sloppiness — the brisk drum machine punches and sweet-yet-sharp singing get supported by on-point melodies which sound like they've been force-fed plenty of sugar. Songs like "Remote Control" (where the tambourine in particular is the killer touch) and the brilliant putdown "Nathan II" just seem to make it all 1981 again while still being of a new millennium, almost like an extension of a long-abandoned pop path rather than a simple re-creation. Not everything is pure freneticism, though, as slower and equally worthy efforts like "The Closet" show. "Geeky Pop Song" steers clear of the self-deprecation in its title with a truly lovely lead melody and steady pace, while the seemingly-peppy "The Longest Drive," dedicated to a friend who perished in a car accident, is a sudden, gripping moment of heartbreaking loss. Throughout Lynn's singing is the not-so-secret weapon, clear, strong and really captivating. In the Zone is the perfect soundtrack for when the Powerpuff Girls become the Powerpuff Late Teenagers, mixing in a touch more angst but still gleefully kicking ass and taking names. — Ned Raggett (All Music Guide)
The Capricorns “In The Zone” (Paroxysm)
It’s 1984 all over again.
The Capricorns have resurrected the Casio keyboard and beat box sampler with the release
of their sophomore effort “In The Zone,” striking a chord in the heart of both
new wave fogies and modern rock hipsters.
Heather Lynn and Kirsten Nordine split vocal duties while battling it out musically on a
pair of synths that alter between staccato chords and blips and beeps.
Opening track “The New Sound” is one of the most infectious pop songs ever.
Harmonies and melodies blend under the thud of a digital bass that works perfectly with
this minimalist duo.
“Curtain goes up and the lights come down/ Wanna see the new look, gotta hear the new
sound/ And the crowd starts to dance when you hit that chord/ Got the style and the cash,
and they’ll always want more,” The Capricorns sing about the trendy bands and
their adoring fans.
The Nintendo Entertainment System is the target of homage on “Nintendo Song,” an
upbeat tune about an obsession with the popular video game system, complete with sound
effects from an assortment of games.
Teenage boys are a popular topic throughout the record, but it’s a track about female
jealousy (“Pretty Girls”) that stirs up some serious emotion in the ladies. Both
Lynn and Nordine vocally rip through the chorus with a melody that is equal part whine as
it is song.
The Capricorns are teasing today’s rock stars with a style that’s two decades
old, yet in the hands of these two young girls, the sound is as fresh as ever.
— By George Koroneos (Montclair Times)
THE CAPRICORNS In the Zone (Paroxysm)
Two girls and two Casios play Cadallaca to Delta Dart's Sleater-Kinney. Formed 2002 in a
town between Chicago and Milwaukee. Recorded their second album/first CD in Athens with an
Elephant Six guy. Heterosexual, but not religious about it—the kind who threaten to
steal an annoying boy's girlfriend. Like young stuff, as in "Teenage Boyfriend."
Also like new stuff, as in "The New Sound." Their sound isn't new. But it gains
pep from their belief that it is. A MINUS
-Robert Christgau (Village Voice)
The Capricorns
In The Zone [cd]
Paroxysm Records
There are bands that never would have benefited from keyboards
such as Nirvana or Soundgarden but then there are those who seem to have mastered the art
of perfecting the Casio. The Capricorns remind me of the days before all the angry kids
stayed at home playing Grand Theft Auto 3, when one could walk into the arcade and play a
killer game of "Frogger" or "Pit-fall". This album might be the
soundtrack to all the music that was used for the games "Super Mario Bros" or
"The Legend of Zelda". These chicks can play a mean Casio keyboard and quite
frankly that's the only instrument you hear on the album In
the Zone. That is usually not a good thing, but in this case it helps the girls of
Capricorn create pop melodies of beauty and new wave dance hits. I really liked the first
track "The New Sound", but really the whole album runs the spectrum of Casio
sounds. I used to love to put it on "Salsa" mode but thank goodness the
Capricorns never stray too far from what sounds smart and cutting edge for 1982. Is it the
guy at Wrigley Field doing his between inning version of "Staying Alive"? No,
it’s the reincarnation of The White Stripes only with no dude and more keys. The
Capricorns look like some cool chicks who like to smoke and wear vintage clothes while
making sounds of Casio heaven. Just listen to "Nathan II" for a twisted song
about stealing girlfriends with vocals that harmonize somewhere between revenge and hate.
Hey Capricorns, keep up the great stuff! You just gained a fan. Excuse me, Harry Carray is
drunk and needs a ride. - Ben Matulich (Action Attack Hellicopter)