Labels: Saddle Creek
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Picked this CD up based on a couple of cool tracks they contributed to the Saddle Creek records sampler (which you must own simply for the incredible Park Ave. song). Unfortunately, this album doesn’t really quite live up to my expectations. I’m not sure what’s wrong. It’s all pretty decent emoey indie rock. First song “Romance Is Better This Way” certainly opens up on the right foot, with lots of jangles reminiscent of American Football, and then cranks the pace up a little before peaking with a great bit of dual vocal work that sounds so much like Braid. “Make Up Won’t Cover It” is the albums big hit, a bouncy Braid style tune, but in the main the slower tracks dominate.
All totally inoffensive of course, and a very nice listen, it just doesn’t have the elusive magic ingredient. Maybe it’s the vocals that struggle to make the grade at times – when they are on form they are great, (they kind of hint to me of obscure UK indie-popsters, Ruth), but when they miss, oh boy. Still, if the idea of an American Football / Braid mix that doesn’t really come close to being as good as either of those bands is your idea of fun, you could do far worse.
Enjoyable, without being spectacular.