Welcome to another edition of Track Marks, in which your Idolators perform an autopsy on the latest whisper-down-the-lane Internet-sensation of the moment. Today’s entry:
Artist: Can Joann
Hometown: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Album: Hurt People Hurt People, available now
First online mention (according to searches on Elbo.ws and The Hype Machine): A May 5 post on The Oak Room.
The Build-Up: Not much until last month, when Veritas Lux Mea posted three MP3s; that day, three more sites worked up entries on the band, and the blogrolling commenced
The Dam-Break: Today’s elbo.ws Top 10 list includes three Can Joann tracks, with “Indecision’s Way” on the No. 1 spot. Considering that Sufjan and the Hold Steady round out the top three, that’s a big accomplishment, even in our tiny, tiny music-nerd world.
Odds of Backlash: 10 to 1. Since the blogosphere is overseen by thirtysomethings who grew up on Superchunk, anything from Chapel Hill gets a pass.
Are They Worthy? Ennnh. While we like “Sympathetic Thrill” (below), we’re not entirely sure what makes these guys stand out in a field of 3,000 other indie guitar-rock bands. What are we missing? This is charming, sure–but is it really let’s-go-apeshit charming, or are things just slow right now?
Can Joann – Sympathetic Thrill [MP3, link expired]
Can Joann – Lady Luck [MP3, link expired]
Can Joann [MySpace]
things are just slow now.
who?
Pleasant enough, but ultimately forgettable. Extremely dumb name.