If most indie rock is becoming increasingly boring to you because of its limited stylistic scope (either Gang of Four-xeroxed punk disco or Strokes-ish garage revival), then the Tryst (http://www.myspace.com/wearetryst) should provide sufficient spice; in fact, I'll go so far as to say that their lead singer Keli Carpenter has among the finest voices in rock today, indie or otherwise.
Completely ignoring any trend or flavors of the month in the American indie underground, the Tryst stitch together their jazz, soul, and Latin influences to weave an exotic, seductive record. Although their sound isn't dated, the Tryst nevertheless ignite flashbacks of the late '60s and early '70s when rock bands weren't afraid of horns and jazzy percussion. The lovely "Fallen" has floating trumpets galore, further elevated by Carpenter's velvet-smooth singing. On "Fortunate Fates" and "It's True," the group slows down the tempo, letting Carpenter's vocals become the central focus; it's a wise move considering how gorgeous her voice is.
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Carpenter might draw comparisons to Norah Jones, but Jones was never backed by music as electic as this. The Tryst walk on a tightrope between jazz and funk with tremendous skill and personal flair. "Fortunate Fates" picks up the funk midway through, a cathartic release of tension after its slow intro; "You Say" has electrifying percussion that gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing. Even when they're chilling, the Tryst are always active, always moving.
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