Play Pretty for Baby "s/t" CD
[The Agency]
I'm not sure what to call this. It's got a significant post-hardcore thing going on, with an aggressive indie thing... but it's rocked out in a very odd way that I can't pin down at all. The vocals are shouted with a dry rasp that has an edge of actual singing to it, and both the vocals and the music have this unique sort of style that, while not original per se, does give them an unusual sound. I love the open rock chords in "Paratroop Disco" (the rest of the track is so-so), while the angular spaciousness of "You've Asked Me to Come All the Way Here for This?" just isn't my thing. Really the bulk of this isn't my thing, but I don't dislike it, so I can listen to it. If nothing else the recording is pretty good. The rhythm section, especially the bass, sounds fucking sweet, and the guitars are well done too. It's a little dense at times, and the vocals are a little separated from the music in a sense, but... it sounds good. The bass tone alone is worthy of admiration. I think the vocal style, which gets a littler wavered and squawked at times (like At the Drive-In or something), is really a big setback for me with this stuff somehow. I guess the fact that the music's not strong enough to make up for it also plays a role, but again, I don't really actively dislike this... it just doesn't do anything for me, really. I'm glad it's not really caustic or abrasive, but it's not memorable or emotional to me either. It's just kind of blah. The layout's minimal and consistent with some pink and white textures with high contrast black and white text and an image of Kennedy, with some handwritten text for the lyrics. The content of the songs is weird because lines like, "Hey USA you're on the horizon," and abstract cuts like "President's Day" suggest larger messages, but I'm not really taking much away from anything, I don't know... I guess the lyrics are like the music. I have no real opinion other than the fact that I'm not really taking an interest. Not bad, not particularly good... it's right there in the middle, indifferent. (5/10)
Running time - 17:36, Tracks: 6
[Notable tracks: Cinderblock]
The Agency Records - http://www.theagencyrecords.com

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