By Cole Hunt, Staff Writer

Think Arcade Fire for vegetarians.  Since their performance at South by Southwest last March, this 10-piece folk rock band from Southern California has been drumming up hype across the country for their organic sound and outrageous live performances.  Although Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros has been a fully functioning band since 2007, they have just recently released their first studio album, “Up From Below.”  While the album is very diverse and accessible, it does little to convey the raw energy that emanates from their live performances.

At the forefront of the band’s allure is the undeniable chemistry between lead singers Alex Ebert and Jade Castrinos.  Throughout their recent performance at Nashville venue 3rd and Lindsley, the duo conjured images reminiscent of Johnny and June Cash as they maintained consistent smiles and eye contact, singing more to each other than the audience.  Don’t let the sentimentality fool you though, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros leave it all on the stage, enthusiastically jumping and galloping around the crowded performance area every time the tempo accelerates.  As a matter of fact, at this particular concert, Jade’s typically powerful voice had been replaced by laryngitis as a result of passionate performances earlier that week.

Although live performances are indisputably this band’s forte, their studio release is more than worthy of your time.  More than anything, Up From Below showcases the depth of sound that a band consisting of 10 musicians is capable of producing.  In conjunction with the prophetic voices of Alex and Jade, this wall of sound makes the listener feel as if the band is preaching the hippie gospel and every word spoken is the truth.  Regardless, this band has mastered the art of feel-good music, easily applicable to anyone’s life.  Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are sure to go down in history as The Mamas and The Papas of the 21st century.

Key Tracks: “Home”, “40 Day Dream”, “Janglin”