Miniature Tigers

A performer can't work at exuding effortless charm. It's fortunate, then, that this quality comes naturally to Charlie Brand, lead singer of Miniature Tigers, who'll prowl the Marquis alongside Dear and the Headlights and Reubens Accomplice. Tell It to the Volcano, the band's just-issued full-length, opens with "Cannibal Queen," a...

By Michael Roberts

March 5, 2009

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A performer can't work at exuding effortless charm. It's fortunate, then, that this quality comes naturally to Charlie Brand, lead singer of Miniature Tigers, who'll prowl the Marquis alongside Dear and the Headlights and Reubens Accomplice. Tell It to the Volcano, the band's just-issued full-length, opens with "Cannibal Queen," a tune whose fierce title is promptly contradicted by a burbling intro that recalls Stevie Nicks's "Edge of Seventeen" (like Ms. Nicks, the Tigers hail from Arizona) and Brand's dubious assertion that he's "no longer on a quest to get girls undressed." He also lampoons his sensitivity on "Tchaikovsky and Solitude," in which his assertion that he listens to the late composer and cries is accompanied by a sonic sigh — and the swooning melody and loopy synth runs that populate "Hot Venom" wouldn't scare the regulars at the airport Ramada. Not everyone could pull off this mix, but Brand manages without breaking a sweat.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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