Labels: self starter foundation
Review by: Andy Malcolm
I really want to like this record an awful lot but it’s not clicking. I was half expecting it to be the next great album of the year (after Milemarker & Hot Snakes) but it doesn’t quite make it.
Lifter Puller are playing indie rock with the occasional new wave slant provided by keyboard or echoey vocal effects. Opening song “Lonely in a Limousine” is excellent, slinky, smoothe and powered by some real grooves, lovely thick guitars and some smart vocals. The singer reminds me a little of the guy from Radon in that they are slightly nasal and more talked than sung. There are slight hints of “Nothing Feels Good” era Promise Ring mixed into the indie rock through out, mainly the repetetive guitar, and familiar bass sounds that are well played and catchy. But it’s not a huge influence on the sound, just something that sneaks in. At times they strike of the keyboardy moments on the latest Milemarker LP but with boy vocals, particularly on “Space Humping $19.99” where they are at the fore-front and the song revolves around the ‘boards. Plus they have songs like “Touch My Stuff” which is dead on infectious, fun and a little unpredictable too.
Unfortunately, there are several songs on “Fiestas & Fiascos” that either feel half finished or just end too quickly. Like when “Candy’s Room” tails off into an electronic throb just when it seems like it’s getting going. “Lake Street Is For Lovers” is unqualified annoyance with piano, and stupid backing words. Horrid.
So whilst this record is highly patchy, there is enough promise here to hint that Lifter Puller are full of ideas and that by the time they get their next album out they’ll be 1) an awful lot more consistent, and 2) quite possibly the next big thing on the underground indie rock scene. Get this record to say you heard them before that and so you can pretend that you think their earlier stuff is much better.