Love is Elusive.

When emailing Matty of The Muslims, I asked him how many microphones the band would need for a potential in-studio here at Rainydawg Radio. Matty gave me a speedy reply: A request for 10 microphones: Three for the amps, Three for Vocals, and Four on the drum kit (a very reasonable request). However, being the college radio station that we are, we did not have that amount of equipment to provide. Unfortunately, I had to email Matty back, saying that our studio would fall four microphones short of his request. I was certain that this would be at the very least, slightly annoying to the band. Then I got this shocking reply from Matty:

“Omar,

That’s no problem at all. We can make it work with the mics you have. Seriously, don’t worry about it. We like it like that anyway.”

In a sense, this quote is a microcosm for what The Muslims are: A laid back group of guys who love to have a good time. When I met them for the first time outside of the studio, they were taking in the fresh Seattle air and throwing around a football. I simply stood back and admired this scene for a few minutes before formally introducing myself.

The Muslims seem like they know how to have fun. This laid-back leisurely perspective on life is clearly translated into their music. And their music instills in the listener that same sense of perspective. It’s a breath of fresh air. In an age where looping, pedal work, and sampling is sometimes necessary to separate a band from the masses, The Muslims stick to simplistic rock riffs and vocals to form the foundation of their sound. And what a great sound it is.

Without keeping you any longer, I leave you with the recordings of The Muslims’ live set at Rainydawg Radio.

The Muslims — American (Live on Rainydawg Radio)
The Muslims — Beside Myself (Live on Rainydawg Radio)
The Muslims — Bright Side (Live on Rainydawg Radio)
The Muslims — Extinction (Live on Rainydawg Radio)
The Muslims — Nightlife (Live on Rainydawg Radio)
The Muslims — On My Time (Live on Rainydawg Radio)

My excessive gratitude goes out to The Muslims for joining me in the studio. You can pick up their record, which will surely be in my top 10 come the year’s end, here. Catch them on tour this summer, they’ll be hitting up the east coast.

The Muslims, in short, are worth the time and hype.