The Silver Spring Penguin

Alona mashes contemporary jazz with angry grunge to create a sound that’s one part Everything But the Girl, one part Soundgarden.

The DC foursome — lead vocalist Candice Alona, ax man Brian Jarboe, bassist Brodie Marrow and Daniel Jacobson on skins — show obvious signs of angst. Their loud, crunching guitar work was the signature of Seattle grunge bands like Soundgarden.

For example, in “Maelstrom”, Candice’s soulful pipes soar like those of Chris Cornell over angry guitars and crashing cymbals. And the song’s creepy, almost droning harmonies are a distant reminder of Alice in Chains.

But Alona also injects smooth contemporary jazz into its music, something on par with Everything But the Girl and Morcheeba. The fusion creates a deceptively mellow buildup to a fiery chorus.

[audio:Alona_The-Missing.mp3]

Click on the “play” icon above to hear the original version of “The Missing”.

This mashup is most evident on “The Missing” (above). And just like a few songs by Everything But the Girl, the song’s groove and grunge are ripe for a club remix. (There’s already a cool ambient-lounge remix by Panacea, and an obnoxious techno-ish wreck featuring Dex Dubious.)

Download a free hit of Alona from the band’s website, then catch their gig tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Mayorga Coffee Factory (8040 Georgia Ave). Five bucks gets you through the door.

Photo by Adriel Wood for Alona.

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Score Alona’s original tracks and remixes from iTunes