Gingerbread Patriots Wednesday, Aug. 8

[August 8th, 2007]

[BLIP POP] Gingerbread Patriots keyboardist/vocalist Megan McGaughy claims to be "extremely shy" when first meeting people. And when asked about stage fright, the 27-year-old ex-Navy gal (who sports a half-sleeve tattoo and two rings in her nose) says, "It's a little weird playing keyboards, 'cause [in other bands] I had an instrument strapped onto me. I had something protecting me." It's a moment of seemingly sweet disclosure­—until primary songwriter John Brophy chimes in: "Your mom has an instrument strapped onto her." The whole group giggles. Someone hushedly exclaims, "Off the record!"

Considering "off the record" was uttered literally countless times during my two-hour interview with the local blip-pop quartet, I'll take my chances. Margaritas and rounds of taquitos notwithstanding (we met at Southeast Powell Boulevard's Original Taco House), the Portland-via-Albuquerque band did share a few earnest thoughts in between "your mom" jokes and good-natured joshing. And there's a solid reason for the somewhat juvenile vibe: Three of the group's members are siblings.

The shared blood between John, Jeshua and Joel Brophy (guitar/vocals, bass and drums, respectively) may also explain why the Patriots' computer-affected pop comes off as a seamless, blissful dreamscape. That, and a mutual influence: "All of us really like Grandaddy," admits John, though McGaughy adds, "I think we all probably have different favorite bands."

And it shows: Lyrics like "His wife wakes up and does her hair/ Even though she's going nowhere," from "Donna Mills" (a standout track off the band's debut full-length, 2005's Wax Lips and Hummingbirds), are achingly reminiscent of said computer-pop forerunners. But more upbeat tracks like "A Story of Peeple," which bops with bright drums, plinking xylophone and softly folding accordion, could almost double as children's music. And the bits of wisdom hidden among Brophy's often dark narratives—"I don't know why you are so ungrateful/ There are folks that want to live like you/ If they had what you have they'd be thankful"—could easily resonate with both young and old.

Such simple-yet-affecting themes could be inspired by John's and McGaughy's roles as parents. But the band itself, which is currently working on its second full-length, is still growing up, too: John, the oldest at 32, recounts a fit of "good rage" when Jeshua thew a can of beans and a rolling pin at him; Joel asks if it was the time Jesh was playing Randy "Macho Man" Savage (it wasn't). Meanwhile, John teases McGaughy about double-dipping and margarita-induced brain freeze. .