The first of what will probably be several posts resulting from the massive outpouring of input I got when I asked for recommendations last week covers "Voices", the debut full-length from Able Baker Fox. Featuring former members of The Casket Lottery and Small Brown Bike (a band that I loved and a band that I was always curious about but never really into for no reason whatsoever, respectively) and having been released by Second Nature Recordings, it didn't take much for me to expect the best from this band, so thankfully the material delivers in full. I actually can't remember the last album I picked up from this label, but it's been awhile, and I actually had no idea that this band existed either (You'd think I'd be on top of things like that since I run a site like this, but I have no idea how people keep up with all this stuff!), but their sound definitely reminds me of that later-90's/early-2000's kind of emo/indie rock (terms that I'm sure would offend many with regard to these guys, but shit, get over it, I mean no offense) that has a real musicality to it. There's a hell of a lot of diversity happening, not just musically but in terms of the different vocal approaches too, since three of the four band members contribute there. Sure there's a lot of singing and harmonies and stuff, but it's generally not too "pretty" or anything, there's a lot of texture there, and there's actually some shouting and screaming, too. And of course the instrumentation has a lot going on in terms of intricate layering and arrangements and all that jazz, and that's the kind of shit that really gets me within this general "genre", because it's really cool when songs can be catchy and have feeling but still be fairly fuckin' complicated—even though it might not be so obvious. You can definitely pick up on elements of the members' past efforts, but it's something more than that as well, so... I don't know. It's just a damn good record, and I really don't seem to find much of this kind of stuff out there too often anymore, which is a shame. 11 tracks in 32 minutes makes for a nice and compact listen, too. Recommended, indeed. I'm certainly glad someone told me about 'em, otherwise I'd probably have gone 10 years in the dark on this one, ha!
Able Baker Fox "Stuttering"
Able Baker Fox "Brand New Moses"
Get It
Second Nature Recordings (CD)
Second Nature Recordings (black/yellow LP)
Second Nature Recordings (blue/orange LP)
Amazon.com (mp3)
Comments
This is a really good album. The song “What Doesn’t Kill You” is the jaaaam.
1.29.2008 | By Tyrone
remember when you used to be able to safely call this kind of music emo?
1.29.2008 | By Anonymous
I do, and my brain still operates on that wavelength for the most part, ha, ha! If only those terms never became so “soiled” in the eyes of many…
1.29.2008 | By Andrew Aversionline
This is such a stellar album and I just hope enough people find out about it. Definitely for fans of Lincoln, Hot Water Music and Garden Variety.
1.29.2008 | By Carlos
>“What Doesn’t Kill You” is the jaaaam.
killer hook on the chorus. “brand new moses” is my second favorite.
love the diversity, the different vocals, the subtle complexities… and how it all fits together in a nice, “catchy” whole.
@ andrew: don’t worry, man. staying abreast of all this stuff would require a serious lack of life. that’s what recommendations are for.
1.29.2008 | By chris
I’ve heard a lot of high praise for this album, but I can’t get into it. There’s just something lacking. I definitely hear the HWM influence, even a little Cursive at times. I’ll give it a few more spins but at the moment I’m just not feeling it.
1.29.2008 | By manisthebastard
this is really good sh*t
1.30.2008 | By eric
Hey, this is pretty cool, thanks.
I had the opportunity to see Small Brown Bike (opening for Thursday, maybe?) in that early ‘00s period you’re talking about where emo wasn’t a bad word yet. They were alright!
1.30.2008 | By Vince Neilstein
I’m going to pick this one up at the show with Hot Water Music on Saturday. The samples sound good. I’m a sucker for almost anything that resembles 90’s emo.
2.1.2008 | By Paul