This band blends jarring and angular indie rock with flat out rock ?n' roll via the origins of punk, and while it's not bad, and I actually like a good deal of it, the only thing I can't totally stomach is that there's an undeniable hipster quotient involved... and if there's one thing we all know by now, it's that I'm just not into that whole deal.? Admittedly these dudes keep such nuances largely under wraps, but the squawking vocal shouts/yelps and a lot of the lyrics really rub me the wrong way in playing up the whole "rock" thing.? Musically look for everything from layered dual guitar interaction where the guitars are hard panned to accentuate the differences, to dissonant pull-off riffing, to full blown rock chords that have a bluesy strut, as well as frantic picking that gets fairly caustic on occasion.? "Input, Output" definitely sees some major Fugazi influences coming to the surface, while almost the entirety of "XXXXXX" is randomly strummed chords and feedback.? I feel like the rock ?n' roll rocks the most in the more creative and subtly melodic "I Can't See the Light", with "The Rats" most effectively blending such styles with more of a twisted indie rock sensibility (not to mention a slightly more restrained vocal performance that feels more comfortable to me).? Also cool are the softer and more openly melodic riffs in "Bed Down", where the vocals are again quieter and far more natural in delivery, which actually makes for a damn nice track that feels infinitely more emotional than anything else on the entire disc.? This is by far my favorite track, and it honestly makes some of the weaker material look almost embarrassing by comparison. The awesome harmonic riffing and generally more intricate/innovative "I Think I Heard Her Body Sing" is a very close second - the pair closing the disc on an incredibly impressive note that greatly contrasts the rather trite openers. The recording is nice and dry, but it's a little muddy, and I also feel like it could've been mastered louder. Also playing into the hipster angle is that they were very clearly going for a retro sound, though I don't mind that aesthetic here at all. The only thing that gets to me is that there's a little too much distance going on, so some brightness is lost and I feel like the mix needs more of a bite. It sounds good for what it's shooting for, but it needs to be a touch louder and a little clearer. The disc comes in a nice looking white digipack with high contrast imagery relating to bears and entirely handwritten text that, while at times sloppy and hard to read, definitely creates a cool appearance for the design. As mentioned some of the lyrics rub me the wrong way, notably lines like, "Well I pick up my guitar because I know one thing worth saving is rock and roll," or, "And I need you to understand, I wanna be your guitar man." I mean, that shit seems arrogant and/or forced to me, and I'm just not into it. This isn't a bad disc overall, it's just hit and miss, you know? "Bed Down" and "I Think I Heard Her Body Sing" are fucking great tunes that prove what these guys are capable of, and I actually quite enjoy some of the more balanced songwriting elsewhere as well, so... I wish they'd stick with that stuff and toss the hipster bullshit and "rock ?n' roll saviors" attitude. Seriously, if the entire disc was along the lines of those last two cuts this would be an immeasurably more powerful listen, and I'd love to hear something like that materialize at some point. These guys have a lot of potential, it's just a matter of what they'll do with it. I think they're on the way, though.
[Hello Sir]
Running time - 31:35, Tracks: 10
[Notable tracks: I Can't See the Light, The Rats, Bed Down, I Think I Heard Her Body Sing]
Hello Sir Records - http://www.hellosirrecords.com
