Labels: Captured Tracks
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Whilst Captured Tracks tend to release more records in a single month than the rest of the DIY world combined, they do have a pleasingly high success rate. It’s easy to mock such a prolific label, and assume they have no quality control but they keep bunging out shit like this and I am not going to complain. This two tracker kicks in with “Nineteen” which is a lightweight and simple, strummy indie pop number that’s distorted a tiny bit so that hip people will listen to it. Basically if you are into junk like Nodzzz then you’ll be all over this, and guess what, I am. I particularly enjoyed the lyrical content, although who knows if they are being sarcastic or not. The oft repeated refrain appears to be about quiet life in a small town, “Nothing ever happens!”. Eventually the songs protaganist moves out “I left town at age 19, something had to happen, I was searching for better things”. Things are wrapped up with “Now everybody has a kid, nothing ever happens. I thanks god I never did, nothing ever happened”. Aha. I like this song and I like the words.
Flip for “Twenty-Nine” which is clearly the 10 year on sequel to the other side. It’s a more grown up, semi-Beach Boysian thing, a lot less catchy, but still a good listen. I particularly like when it fuzzes into the midway point “Where did good times go, I’m already 29. What do I have to show, I’m already 29”. They throw in some organ and drift along haplessly. Like life itself.
There’s a lot to like and empathise with on this record. What I’ve heard of the LP has left me a bit cold and I definitely need to give it another go, but this seven inch is spot on, a perfect example of what to do with the format and a perfect example of Captured Tracks getting things spot on.