'Real Estate' For Sale By Village Band

Real estate is property that consists of land or buildings. Real Estate is an indie rock band from Ridgewood signed to Woodsist Records. Real Estate is also the name of the band's critically-acclaimed debut record, and it's a stunning one: The 40 minutes of woozy, summery, twangy awesomeness that ensue after hitting the "play" button are unforgettable in a special way.

You might not hear "Suburban Beverage" blaring at your favorite bar, but the Byrds-meets-Beachwood Sparks jangle sounds like someone soundtracked your night out in slow motion. The songs get under your skin so quick that you're sure you've heard them before—the band's finer points are vague, but overall, everything is comfortable and familiar, which was sort of the idea.

With two former Ridgewood High School students in Martin Courtney and Matt Mondinale, Real Estate creates a refreshing take on the Garden State sound by subtly drawing from summer hometown house parties and trips to the shore.

Songs like "Pool Swimmers," "Suburban Dogs," and "Snow Days" evoke nostalgia while avoiding  clichés.

"Those songs are more representative of our experiences growing up in Ridgewood," lead singer and guitarist Courtney said from his tour van someplace between Arizona and California.

Some of the tracks "are about the general suburban experience," he explained. "What it was like growing up, and remembering that sort of stuff."

The beach infusion was no accident either.

"We spent a lot of time visiting the shore," Courtney said. "We would go down to Seaside Heights, Wildwood and Point Pleasant. That vibe definitely influenced some of the songs we were going for. [Those] are definitely interesting places. It's definitely different from the beach in Virginia, or California, or any place else."

"It's classy and sleazy at the same time," said Mondinale from elsewhere in the van.

If you've been fortunate enough to hear Real Estate before reading this, you may wonder why it sounds so easy on the ears. After all, when one hears "indie rock band," the mind conjures yelping vocalists, jarring guitars, and the snide cynicism associated with the genre.

None of that is present here: With nine out of the 10 songs recorded in analog, directly onto tape—that's right kids, the old fashioned way—this record sounds exceptionally warm. It absolutely begs to be spun at 33 rpm on the old turntable.

"We actually recorded it mostly at home," Courtney said. "We recorded most of it with our friend in Glen Rock. It's all tape except the first track, which we recorded with our friend in Brooklyn."

The band's chemistry is simply too tight to be lo-fi, but the songs' origins seem to defy that claim.

"Some of the songs are demo versions," Courtney said. "Some are eight tracks, some are four tracks. It's kind of a mixed bag of different recording styles."

Right now, Real Estate is on tour supporting its self-titled album, and just finished up a memorable run in California, with San Francisco being a highlight.

"It's been awesome. It's been really fun," Courtney said. "We've seen a lot of new places. San Francisco—we had the most fun there. We were there for a few days. We played at The Hemlock—we played two shows there and a house party the next week."

While the band is on the West Coast earning fans and acclaim (including a "Best New Music" tag from taste-maker online magazine Pitchfork.com), pick up their self-titled debut if you can. By the time Real Estate heads back to Brooklyn for its tour finale at the Market Hotel Dec. 4, you'll be hooked.

I know I am.