Well, what would you do if you were armed with a large passion for ’60s pop folklore, a need to go on sabbatical from your main stage, indie, psychedelic pop act (Mixel Pixel) and enough diversity and unique talent to possibly stand out in the opus of New York’s struggling artist scene? Well, you write one of the most enchanting and delicately sewn, entirely brilliant pieces of experimental rock to drop the jaws of Stars or Isabel Campbell fans, and leave the rest of the nation wishing on rainbows and praying to dandelions, of course. For Rob Corradetti and Kaia Wong, that option seemed easily attainable due to their experienced, sonically perfect vocal blending. Rob’s dark timbre leads into hollow, soothing tunes, while Kaia’s whispering, breathy additions add mysteriously beautiful and refreshing embellishments. In the midst of the 9/11 tragedy, and living right in the shadows of the Empire State Building, Corradetti and Wong composed a breathtaking girl/boy tribute to bands like the Vaselines, and an album of inspirationally depressing ballads that are just as intriguing as they are essential for every fan of divergent art.

So today I dug deep into my library to see if I could remind you of anybody, and so I stumbled onto Brooklyn duo The Eastern Stars. Thanks to their ever knowledgable site: “The Eastern Stars took their name from Masonic roots. The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world in which both men and women may belong.” So, The Eastern Stars are, clearly, about male/female unity, and unity indeed — this duo take their charm from the use of contrasting male/female vocals. The soft, deep whispers of Rob Corradetti blend smoothly with Kaia Wong’s hushed, airy voice, and it was this attribute that qualified them a while back for my Some Are Lovers, Some Are Friends mix. The Eastern Stars’ sound definitely carries an air of folk, and their debut LP, July 5th, 1961, progresses from straight-out folk to a more experimental hand in that genre. Overall, they carry a very simplified sound that seems very stripped and bare, but it definitely works. The duo hopes to tour early next year, and is already in plans to open for Of Montréal in early March. Oh, and as for July 5th, 1961 — nothing seems to have happened that day, in case you were curious.

The Eastern Stars pick up where people like Beck and Low left off at some point in their careers. Led by Kaia Wong and Rob Corradetti, the sweet, subtle harmonies shine on acoustic folk-pop gems such as They Know What To Do. It’s the sparse, hushed, and close feeling of songs like Lovely Love that resembles Lou Reed and Nico hashing something out on an early Velvet Underground record, with each vocalist singing different lyrics at the same time with great results. Not everything is fantastic, with Little Punk too simplistic and quirky, bringing to mind Luna on an off day. Fortunately, Money Money We Want Yours is stronger, with its deliberate backbeat and creepy, eerie hues, like an urbane version of The Handsome Family. When they stick to this niche, the songs soar, especially the gorgeous The Ticket That Exploded, which hits all the right spots, while In Russian Blue is basically Stars without the bombast. The oddest of the lot has to be White Belts / Adverse Invest, a collage of influences. 6/10.

[…] Also going the innovative route are The Eastern Stars, who spray Moog, ukulele and omnichord over the 11 tracks featured on July 5th, 1961. The newbies — Rob Corradetti and Kaia Wong — looked to The Moldy Peaches, The Velvet Underground and Pink Floyd for inspiration on their first effort, according to a track-by-track breakdown. The New York folksters are giving the record a soft release this week in New York and San Francisco — so it can relish the 45th anniversary of the album title, which the band calls “a date on which nothing of political or social significance occurred, yet a date on which everything imaginable happened: birth, death, tragedy, baseball and slugging back to work with holiday hangovers.” The record gets a wide release in August.

Rob Corradetti and Kaia Wong of Brooklyn eclecticons Mixel Pixel spin off here with a side project that’s a bit more specific, a joint venture with Montréal’s No Type label. Somewhere between a handmade valentine to the Velvet Underground’s mellower moments and Syd Barrett shoplifting at Radio Shack, it’s gritty, grainy, warped and whispery quasi-folk, a capos ’n’ Casios affair that’s got a fair bit of bite lurking in its dreamy drift. The lyrics merit careful attention, with their sneaky wordplay and piercing perspectives. Suitable for midnight picnics in a potter’s field, or rowboat rides with rusty robots down the River Acheron (the mythologically impaired should google that last one). 7/10

July 5th, 1961 is reminiscent of exactly that: a return to gritty ‘60s Britpop, sprinkled with a dash of B-52’s overtones. The Eastern Stars are a Brooklyn-based duo who are truly onto something. The male/female dueling vocal melodies create a creepy retro feel – I mean “creepy” in a good way – comparable to Said Sadly by The Smashing Pumpkins (Iha/Gordon). The instrumentation is simple but well thought out, and – while metaphorical – the lyrics are believable.

The first two tracks on the album (They Know What To Do and Lovely Love) are primarily acoustic. From that point on, however, the album begins to define itself through programmed beats, light distortions, and gentle feedback while still keeping a rugged pop feel. The band thrive on keeping listeners on their toes, as you never know who’s singing the next line or what the next song holds. Little Punk is my favorite: it blends soothing programmed rhythms with the sounds of early B-52’s.

The band are not trying to be something they’re not, which on some songs creates minor flaws. I found myself at times wanting a fuller sound, as certain tracks felt stripped down and bare. But I’m sure such an approach can be used as a blank canvas toward evolution on future albums.

I would recommend this record to anyone who likes creative, semi-experimental music. It is fun, meaningful music that you won’t hear on MTV. The Eastern Stars most likely will never become stars at all, but I’m sure we’re all okay with that.