Always the Runner – An August Golf
May 26, 2006 by Jacob Price
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
Always the Runner
An August Golf
The literal meaning of the word “song” has a tendency to be a bit restrictive, with the prime stipulation being that a composition must contain both music and words. Always the Runner’s first full-length begs a bewildering question: what happens when any potential words to a song are implied rather than sung?
The bulk of An August Golf is instrumental, yet it easily accommodates musing towards the conceptualization of a vocalist. He would verbalize with a definite, cherub-like serenity; would sing songs of hope, joy, and occasional sorrow; and would have distinction in the tracks not as an act of arrogance or loudness but of emotional volume. These qualities match the superb instrumental work and are actualized in the vocals of “Miles” and “Something Important Happened in Falls Church” (more the former, though) – the two true “songs” – but the other tracks prepare majestic sanctuaries in which one could see voices resting comfortably, gently placed amongst the glorious, rising guitar timbres.
The opener, “Miles,” is as captivating a song as you can find on any post-rock disc. It begins with a gentle repetition of light guitar notes which repeat throughout the song and lull the listener off to a place of pure peace and tranquility. This repetition is soon met by a smooth, low-key rhythm section and the calming vocals mentioned earlier. Things drift along peacefully and reach a fulfilling climax in under five minutes, but the afterglow from the song is felt for a much longer duration. The twinkly guitars heard in “Miles” are echoed throughout the entire disc, creating a subdued atmosphere that still holds the potential to reach an arching musical apex when the time is right. Even though the culmination might be explosive (“I Thought I’d Find You Here” in particular), the soundscape somehow maintains a soaring quality and never suffocates the listener. Once the guitars have sounded and cymbals have crashed, one can walk away unscathed, with the only alterations being an elevated spirit and a well-used 40 minutes.
In a genre where production can make or break albums, An August Golf fares surprisingly well. The overall feel is spacial and airy, which offers up an ethereal take on each track. Each instrument holds a delicate key to song development, and by allowing an equal amount of prominence, the album avoids any type of aural muddle or confusion. Even when the mood picks up or things become heavy, ample room to breathe can still be found.
The musicians in Always the Runner are making some special music. When in the background, it acts inconspicuously to lighten the ambience of a situation; when at the center, it gives grand reason to just why is deserves an individual’s attention. For those in search of light and uplifting music, do not pass up An August Golf.
Deadboy & the Elephantmen – We are Night Sky
May 26, 2006 by Jenn O'Donnell
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
Deadboy & the Elephantmen
We are Night Sky
Deadboy & the Elephantmen is a duo – Dax Riggs (guitar, vocals) and Tessie Brunet (drums, vocals) – from Louisiana. Yes, there are plenty of comparisons to be made to other male/female guitar-and-bass duos. Beyond the basic line-up, Dax and Tessie have some similarities to plenty of their contemporaries, but there is something definitely unique about their Fat Possum release We are Night Sky that separates these two from the pack.
First off, there is Dax’s distinctive vocals and the effortless way he moves between deep rocker howls, softer wailing, and falsetto when least expected. His vocals are punctuated throughout by Tessie’s haunting soprano layers. Although you get the sense from the first track, “Stop, I’m Already Dead,” that Deadboy & the Elephantmen is going to be a grungy rock band, this is only the tip of the iceberg. And honestly, your enjoyment of the album could go either way from here.
After the rock sludge of the opener, Dax and Tessie take the pace down about 10 notches for “No Rainbow,” an acoustic tune with a gothic feel and plenty of lyrics about skulls and blood. The dreamy imagery continues to build on “How Long the Night was,” a mid-tempo slice of swamp rock, before landing squarely on the shoulders of “Ancient Man.” This song builds off Tessie’s primal drumming and Dax’s fuzzy guitar beautifully and is easily one of the best tracks on the album. Here Dax sings of being “a ghost gone mad, an angel in the dopesmoke,” but this is only one of many references to various types of psychedelic haze.
The song “Blood Music” seems the most worthy of Deadboy & the Elephantmen’s comparisons to the White Stripes – perhaps for the more upbeat drumming and sturdy guitar work. The duo is joined here by someone named Bear on tuba, but this isn’t the only instance of a guest musician. Dax and Riggs get a bit of help on six of the 12 songs on We are Night Sky in the form of additional guitar and drums, bass, piano, and euphonium. While the additional instruments give some of the songs a beefier feel, these two honestly don’t need any additives because their sound is as bold or as understated as it wants to be. A fair bit of the second half of the disc, like “Evil Friend” and “Break it Off,” fill those more minimalist shoes quite nicely.
I understand that there are a lot of rabid Dax Riggs fans out there who have been following him since his earlier days in metal band Acid Bath or its successor Agents of Oblivion. Those folks may not find a lot to like about a disc that is more focused on swampy rhythms, blues, sleepy garage, and dark rock than anything else. Approached with a virgin outlook or a least a bit of open-mindedness, We are Night Sky is an interesting musical journey indicative of greater things to come.
Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s – The Dust of Retreat
May 25, 2006 by dbush
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
The Dust of Retreat
This is, admittedly, a bizarre moniker for a band that composes the sort of woozy, folk-tinged songs in which Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s specialize. Fortunately, the group doesn’t take the matter too seriously: a close listen to The Dust of Retreat reveals a young band brimming with confidence and ability. Originally released by the Standard Recording Company in 2005 and reissued last March (with very little change) by Artemis Records, the band’s debut is a collection of what its members contentedly deem “sex-folk”: alcoholic ballads, overdriven guitar-and-snare rock, and winding, cello-driven melodies divide the record’s 45 minutes evenly. Lightly bowed strings, southwestern-style trumpet, and both varieties of guitar are the staples here, and, while there are no real developments on the Americana form demonstrated last year by Okkervil River and Bright Eyes, the artists clearly know a melody when they come across it. This seems to be the central songwriting mode of the album, as most songs (notably, “Skeleton Key” and “On a Freezing Chicago Street”) begin with a distinctive cello or guitar phrase, which is then supplemented or altered by other elements and repeated as a standard.
The aptly titled “A Sea Chanty of Sorts” introduces the band with an icy piano progression and slowly picked arpeggios, at which point main vocalist Richard Edwards enters plaintively singing, “Do what you like / you don’t have to be nice / just pour yourself a cup of coffee / leave anytime, you don’t have to be right / you’ve gotta live the best you know how.” Situations of this sort — awkward social engagements, relationships, and domestic problems — are Evans’ main subjects on the album, and, while such melancholy themes may grow tiring with repeated listens, it is reassuring to note that the group can explore these areas while creating rich, joyful music. “Vampires in Blue Dresses” carries a triumphant air as Evans notes that “Your mother is a vampire / she sucked your old man’s life away” and “life is full of regrets / and I should be one.” Similarly, the band struts through “Quiet as a Mouse” and “Barfight Revolution, Power Violence,” despite lines such as “When I woke my body was dyin’ all over the floor / I felt apathy and hate infestin’ my bones.” The apparent contradictions are relieved by the band’s keen melodic sense and ability to construct complex, integrated pieces with complementary sounds — the album’s credits list nearly a dozen regularly included instruments. It helps, of course, that Margot has eight regular members, but, all the same, their material should not be dismissed as inconsistent or paradoxical. This album is concerned, above all, with managing crises, not wallowing in them. The winding cello and electric piano lines of the fantastic “Skeleton Key,” in this context, are oddly appropriate.
The point was made even clearer when I caught the band on a recent headlining swing through the south. This was before I had really given the album a close listen, and I must admit that I was impressed less by the quality of the songwriting or the performance than the sheer craziness of the band’s antics; at least three dozen cigarettes and quite a bit of alcohol was consumed over the course of their 45-minute set. Attendance was dismal, but, as must be the case with most upstarts, the group didn’t seem particularly slighted. Beer-spitting fights broke out, mic stands were knocked around and disassembled, and instruments were swapped without heed. Vocalists Richard Edwards and Emily Watkins kept up a constant stream of intoxicated observations, the former even stating at one point that “today was the worst day of my life. My mother died today. It’s okay, you can laugh, because that’s not true. But she might as well have.”
The Dust of Retreat is easier to understand in this context: it is the product of an exceptional group of young musicians attempting to convey life’s complexities in a readily understandable manner and without reservation. The record is not without its shortcomings — simplistic production, strangely out-of-place noises, and a somewhat commonplace approach to songwriting — but it is noteworthy in its sincerity and the beauty of its arrangements.
The Chambermaids – S/T
May 25, 2006 by jwilder
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
I am not going to beat around the bush on this one. The Chambermaids’ self-titled debut plays out like a mix CD/tape. Heck, it’s been ages since I made one. But when I did, every mix had an underlying theme. I am, though, not going to go out on a limb and preach for this band, but on this album, even though it plays out like a mix, each song has some endearing qualities that I hope the Chambermaids build upon for future releases. That said, I think it would be way too harsh to call the Chambermaids a glorified covers band.
Let’s get the criticism out of the way first. After listening to this album numerous times, I feel like there is no unified sound to the Chambermaids. The band seems to wear its influences on its sleeves, yet at the same time, I do not hear anything that sets the Chambermaids apart from any other band out there. One second, the band sounds like the Jesus and Mary Chain and Joy Division, on another song it sounds like the Pixies. In another, I hear the Replacements. There’s also Sonic Youth, Husker Du/Bob Mould, Wedding Present, Talking Heads, and a garden variety of others. It’s almost as if the band has a collection of old 120 Minutes videos and made an album dedicated to that show’s pinnacle of success. Everything from the basslines to the guitar hooks and predictable drumming is 80s and early 90s indie power-pop.
Yet, I cannot stop listening to this album because the band’s weakness is my own weakness. Vocalist Neil Weir sounds best when he sounds like Mould, Byrne, and Frank Black. His guitar playing would have been idolized in the 80s. His sister, Martha Weir, is on bass. Just like her brother, she plays her instrument flawlessly. Vocally, Martha is better when she has the lead. Listening to the album and knowing there was a female bassist, it would be easy to guess Kim Deal was behind the bass. Drummer Colin Johnson somehow gets lost in the mix with solid but a bit uninspiring drumming. But then again, name one drummer from the bands mentioned in this review.
The album is short with 10 power-pop tracks clocking at around three minutes or less. “Ms. Stork” and “Dog Army” feature Martha on vocals and are my two favorite tracks. “Sleeper,” which is almost seven minutes long, sounds like Joy Division and Jesus and Mary Chain mash-up. “City Predators” and “21st” are also strong songs and anchor the band’s high points sonically.
I just do not see where the Chambermaids are going with their sound. Although it is quite enjoyable, I hope they pick a direction and go with it. The male/female vocals with a darker sound is what does it for me, and that’s where I think the band could be more successful in the future. But in the meantime, I just see the band as a better-than-average guilty pleasure bar band that is the best bet to open for a touring band.
Glider – One Day at a Time
May 25, 2006 by scarradini
Filed under Albums (and EPs), MP3s, Concerts, DVDs, and More
Glider
One Day at a Time
If you look at yourself in the mirror, you’re not supposed to immediately forget what you look like as soon as you look away. But yet, listening to Glider is something like that. Glider’s sound is so mind-numbingly soothing that while I was listening to this on the highway, I missed the exit for my school, and I drive that route every single day. This beautifully orchestrated, melancholy indie music gets inside my head, takes over my mood, and refuses to let go. But once I stop listening to Glider, it’s tough to remember what exactly has just happened. I know I like it, but I can’t remember which song is which or what I especially like about it.
That’s due in part to the fact that most of these songs fall under the genre of instrumental indie rock, bordering on ambient. The drums create more energy than an ambient band could handle, which is why I’m not assigning that title to it, but Glider comes extremely close a lot of the time to being in the most droning of all genres. There are occasionally vocals, but their morose, overbearing tone does little more than become another melancholy instrument, as on “Over the Ocean”.
The guitars here are the main focus. In having switched drummers nine times during the recording of this album, the drums don’t really interact with the bass and guitars any more than is necessary. It’s the smooth, flowing, gliding interactions between the guitar, bass, and auxiliary instruments (occasional piano, guitar effects, etc.) that make this album as powerful as it is. Most of the time there’s a large reverb effect on the guitar, contributing a soupy, underwater feel to the album. The bass is pulsating and fluid, lending a sense of direction to the sound.
Thanks to the fact that there are a minimum of vocals and lyrics, distinguishing between tracks is rather useless. It feels like one big song, and in effect, it is. It’s one big, moody experience, and while you’re listening to it, it’s quite amazing. It’s just hard to wrap my mind around it when I’m not actively listening to it. That’s alright, it gives me an excuse to keep listening to this album over and over again.
I really, really like Glider’s sound. The musicians have cultivated a very distinct mood and carried it all the way through One Day at a Time, which is an enviable characteristic. Just remember to listen to the album all the way through, and never while driving late at night. That could be hazardous to your health.
Grandaddy – Just Like the Fambly Cat
May 25, 2006 by Adrian P.
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
Grandaddy
Just Like the Fambly Cat
With hindsight, it was perhaps inevitable that Grandaddy’s existence would be extinguished by a spell of short-term success. Plucked from semi-obscurity by V2 (giving Jason Lytle and co. the ignominious ‘privilege’ of being labelmates with The Stereophonics, no less) to deliver their touchstone commercial, as well as critical, crossover set, The Sophtware Slump, in 2000, the band was destined for a gradual dilapidation. Overworked and underpaid in a tiresome touring treadmill, provoking physical and financial burnout, the brothers Grandaddy fell into 2003’s substandard sheen-coated Sumday like boxers beaten on to the ropes. Following in that album’s wake, Grandaddy drifted into dissolution, resurfacing with last year’s sloppy Excerpts From the Diary of Todd Zilla EP with the news that this year’s full-length follow-up would be the band’s last. However, fears that Just Like the Fambly Cat would be Grandaddy’s bitter break-up record are, happily and surprisingly, misplaced. Faced with making a farewell to a decade’s worth of creativity, chief Grandaddy Lytle has revelled in the opportunity a lot of bands never have; writing a self-prescribed ending.
Unshackled by commercial or future live presentation pressures, Just Like the Fambly Cat is arguably Grandaddy’s most ‘liberated’ long-player. In fact, it would be fair to say that it resembles less of an album and more a potpourri of what Grandaddy largely does/did well off the beaten track, through B-sides, non-album singles, and compilation contributions. This is not a slur on the album’s overall quality control, though; anyone who’s heard Grandaddy’s remarkable covers of M Ward and Kris Kristofferson, the sublime “Nature Anthem,” and live favourite “First Movement/Message Send: ID#5646766” will most probably concur that a posthumous Grandaddy rarities compilation would serve as a more satisfying retrospective tribute than a predictably routine singles and key album tracks ‘best of’ collection.
Thus, Lytle leads us through a mélange of styles, shades, and moods. Giving us a slew of ragged gold nuggety pop songs in the vein of “The Crystal Lake” and “Now it’s On” (“Jeez Louise,” “Elevate Myself,” and “Rear View Mirror”), wistful dreamy ballads (“Summer… it’s Gone”), strung-out space-rock (“This is How it Always Starts”), and engaging weirdness (the instrumental “Skateboarding Saves Me Twice”) – all drenched in 70s synths, stomping drums, and layers of acoustic/electric guitars. There are a few (forgivable) bum cuts, however, with the novelty-like “What Happened…” and “50%” providing rather grating counterpoints to the otherwise sturdy material.
Beneath all the sonic coatings, though, the core songwriting that drives the album finds Lytle at his strongest. The dissolving of the band and his relocation from Modesto to Montana has evidently given Lytle fertile lyrical fodder. Less obsessed with his love/hate relationship with modern technology and rural/urban life divisions, Lytle gives the songs his most personal autobiographical touch. The songs are full of warm nostalgia (“A blanket and a summer evening breeze / Secrets shared and our youth released”), rueful reflection (“Summer it’s gone and I don’t know where everyone went or where I’ll go”), mature resignation (“I don’t wanna to be a part of all the quality that falls apart these days”), but ultimately uplifting and optimistic (“You don’t have to be alone anymore / Good company’s a gift”).
What could have been a boring, belligerent, and bellicose introspective slide into the music industry dustbin has in fact turned out to be one of Grandaddy’s most listenable and likeable releases. Sure, Just Like the Fambly Cat isn’t The Sophtware Slump Mark II, but its redemptive swansongs should appeal deeply to long-serving followers and the unconverted alike. So enjoy your ‘retirement’ Messrs Lytle, Burtch, Dryden, Garcia, and Fairchild… you’ve bowed-out with good humour, honour, and honesty.
Slow Dazzle – The Prosecution Rests
May 25, 2006 by Jeff Marsh
Filed under MP3s, Concerts, DVDs, and More
Slow Dazzle
The Prosecution Rests
It’s pure coincidence that the two tracks I’m writing about this week – one each from The Glaciers and Slow Dazzle – feature current or former members of The Mendoza Line. I swear, I was just browsing bands who chose to be friends on DOA’s myspace page, and these were two bands I discovered. It’s not like I was browsing Mendoza Line links pages.
Regardless, Slow Dazzle features Shannon McArdle and Timothy Brace of the aforementioned Mendoza Line. The two artists play a style of pop music with a nice dose of electronic elements, giving their songs a poppy melody and yet infusing elements of folk as well. A rich, lovely production quality gives these songs a nice depth.
I’m bypassing the catchy and bouncy “Fleur de Lis” to write about “The Prosecution Rests,” which shows the more folk side of the band. A quiet, moody track that is led by piano and light drumming, it features Brace’s vocals rather than McArdle’s on “Fleur.” It’s a slow-tempo track, but there’s a kind of sway-inducing rhythm here, and the effects on Brace’s vocals give the track a nice depth. That depth is compounded by synths that provide a spacey backdrop to the entire song, never too strong but nicely mixed in.
This is a sweet track. It’s moody and melancholy, but it shows how the band infuses pop and folk together with some pretty electronic elements, creating something that’s quite lovely. I might just have to explore more of The Mendoza Line’s family tree at this rate.
The Great Depression – Preaching to the Fire
May 24, 2006 by Dan
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
The Great Depression
Preaching to the Fire
There are two types of dark music. One type is intentionally dark – morbid and lightless because of a conscious effort on the musician’s part. Often, this type of “darkness” is silly and sophomoric, preoccupied with adolescent imagery of blood and suicide. It’s best not to pay attention to this type of music, lest you find yourself truly willing the band the fortitude required to carry through with their obsession.
The other type of dark music is where The Great Depression comes in. These guys aren’t dark because they’ve named themselves after a gloomy period in time or a sordid mental state. In fact, their stygian presentation is actually quite subtle. What is most unsettling about Preaching to the Fire is how beautifully it presents what are often harrowing truths. The album exists in some sleepy psychedelic lull, Todd Casper’s plaintive vocals in tow, delivering gloomy political observations with a frighteningly thanatotic air, as though the band has accepted the inevitable end of the world and is resigned to sit and wait for what judgment may come.
Preaching to the Fire is all about atmospherics. Its songs are awash in echoing, ghostly voices, hazy overlays of shimmering guitar, lilting piano homilies, and distant electronic samples. At times it recalls the lush depth of My Bloody Valentine, at others the space-pop sensibilities of later Codeseven or the orchestrated grandeur of Let it Come Down-era Spiritualized. What it isn’t is trite or forced. Tracks like “The Telekinetic” and “Quiet out There” slink along with unconcerned cool, blooming and wilting and blooming again with seeming effortlessness. In the latter, Casper casually remarks “Honey, what’ll you be wearing to the war?” as he yanks the pedals from underneath Kevin Shields’ feet, plugs in, and shoots off toward the Loveless supernova. “Make Way for Nostalgia” is a charming hunk of by-the-books dream-pop, replete with a throng of lazy horns meandering through an extended bridge.
While The Great Depression certainly understand the effectiveness of a good hook, some of the more experimental numbers on Preaching to the Fire best unveil the talent of the duo. “Lux” drops in and out of consciousness, alternating from sparse synthesizer drones and picked guitar interludes to organic electronic swells and dense somnambulistic backing vocals. The near-lullaby “Somewhere Over the Counterculture” is gently lined with samples of birds chirping, punctuated every so often with the ominous cackle of a hunched and blackened crow. Perhaps the most strikingly stand-out track is “Bernadette,” a jarring march of resolute piano chords over which Casper enigmatically proclaims “scrawny rivers / faulty valleys / dreams of capture / all she’s after.”
Preaching to the Fire is an incredible creative statement but also an exercise in artistic perseverance. Casper and Tom Cranley originally began working on the material in 2002, but they soon became caught up in their own personal endeavors. However, at the end of 2004, they convened in labelmate Jim Version’s studio in Scotland, and together the three molded Preaching to the Fire into a thick morass of first-take overdubs and distant shoegazed melodies. After those few years in limbo, it has now emerged, a dark pop masterpiece, ready to tackle a world as unsure as its own existence had been. As the final track pushes off like a raft of apocalyptic survivors setting sail toward the horizon, Casper shouts back to the listener, almost apologetically, “I don’t want for anyone to burn you at the stake,” but his voice is slowly drowned out by the rising hymns (or are they wails?) of the other survivors. Soon, they too could have been little more than a fleeting dream.
A bold and endearing masterpiece of melancholic sermon, there’s little doubt that, as of yet, Preaching to the Fire is a definite contender for album of the year.
Mike Johnson – Gone out of Your Mind
May 24, 2006 by Jacob Price
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
Mike Johnson
Gone out of Your Mind
In the liners notes to Mike Johnson’s fifth full-length, Gone out of Your Mind, you’ll find a quote from a famous philosopher tucked away with the credits and copyrights; it isn’t expected in the least bit, but in the context of the album is more fitting and better adapted than who played drums on the fifth track or where the songs were mastered. The man is Voltaire, and the quote is as follows: “The comfort of the rich rests upon an abundance of the poor.” After listening to the album, it’s apparent that Johnson has legitimate stake in either of the classes mentioned. His songs are rich with a troubled sense of sophistication, painfully wrought-out concern, and hints of dilapidated motivation. Conversely, his soul seems to have been ravaged in order to achieve this state of being, leaving his psyche bleeding, spilling out essence onto the tracks which compose Gone out of Your Mind. His experience exists solely as a testament to some sort of disconcertment and frustration throughout his weary life in which his richness of mind comes burdened and abundant on the thralls of mental decrepitude – he is the beginning and end of the cycle, parasitically feeding off of himself in an act of artistic self-destruction.
Johnson’s general sound is a hazy manifestation of Dinosaur Jr. (whom Johnson played bass for at one point) performing Leonard Cohen covers in a dank, desolate club when the bulk of audience members had long since found their way to the exit. It’s a lonely, sober time. His material often falls long past the realization of failure and loss, after any sort of coping stages, and occupies an area of reflection marred by regret and lazy antagonism. The songs are also infused with a strong sense of earnestness that steers them away from the gratingly monotonous grounds tread by other artists. Instrumentation is thoroughly bland (save for the wails of powerful guitars), but too much commotion in the background would serve no other purpose than to take away from the engrossing, true focal point of the music.
Gone out of Your Mind is bookended by two similar instrumental tracks made up of dead-end acoustic meandering. In relation to sound and mood of the songs sandwiched between, they stick out like dual sore thumbs. Upon greater thought, however, the two short tracks serve as transitional elements; the first adds an effectual punch to the already powerful anthemic rocker “On Track,” and the second serves as a sonic gauze to the listener after having been afflicted by Johnson’s emotional dirges. Close inspection benefits the album again, as the windy, presumptively mismatched solos following Johnson’s gruff vocals find a definite purpose in aiding the delirium and disorientation pitched out by the subject matter.
For some tiring albums, I feel a need to award myself with a pat on the back (or, in some instances, a medal) for managing a complete listen. After listening to 50 minutes of Johnson’s gloomy work, I was not only deserving but in dire need of a Prozac. It’s a grim, strident disc, capable of turning skies gray and placing the dreaded, proverbial “black dog” on a listener’s shoulder. But, when things go awry, who really wants to listen to twee-pop or new-wave? Gone out of Your Mind is an apt soundtrack for any day/week/lifetime that’s taken a turn for the worst.
The Bitter Life Typecast – Happy Endings for Lowlifes
May 24, 2006 by Brian Kraus
Filed under Albums (and EPs)
The Bitter Life Typecast
Happy Endings for Lowlifes
It’s depressing that a mindblowing band can go completely ignored by the masses. The Bitter Life Typecast fits perfectly into this category. The band comes from Philadelphia, a mecca of notable bands deserving exposure (see Jena Berlin). Combine the emotions of Mineral and lush instrumentation of late Sunny Day Real Estate, and you have a solid idea of where Happy Endings for Lowlifes stands.
A meaningful instrumental begins the album and takes care of the first impression. “A Greater Love is Still Unknown” rises with gentle acoustic strumming and a siren of notes that ring out in solitude. Just like the title track of Texas is the Reason’s Do You Know Who You Are, you can’t help but adopt the reflective mood of the song.
“Hang the Blessed DJ” breathes more energy into the guitars, which are clear and bright thanks to effects (chorus, delay, etc). The breathy vocals are layered throughout “Our Picture, Our Fire” in a manner that I could only describe as beautifully melancholic. Unexpected moments of mood shifts, like where the music heats up in “5.18.80,” all make for a total head rush. I suppose one could call “Burning Hearts Have Been Burned Out Tonight” the overall single, if such a thing even exists here. It enters confidently with shiny guitars, thick rolling bass, clicking drums, and the soaring vocals that are perfect for the style.
The seventh member of the band makes her presence known through backup vocals. “Winter Blues for the Holidays” is one display of the sparsely applied female harmonies, which actually intertwine really well. The chemistry reminds me of Engine Down’s duet on Demure.
The organic and ethereal results on Happy Endings for Lowlifes will allow anyone to find relaxation. Any devotees of the 90′s emo sound will instantly gravitate towards this.
