i try my best not to fall into the trap of making “artist equations” when i review an album, but sometimes it’s too tempting to resist. i find them interesting as a form of “journalese,” because in my mind they’re a lot more effective at approximating a sound than say, a genre might. yet, as an approximation, these equations are never absolutes; there’s room for the artist in question to be themselves. sometimes, artists pick up on these equations, and reify/exploit them to hilarious results.
not the case for the silversun pickups, a band who do very little to upset the artistic equations invoked in any number of their record reviews. it’s as though the band decided that they wanted to sound like the smashing pumpkins on a strict diet of sunny day real estate— silversun pickups write heavy, guitar-driven psychedelic rock that teases at an emo, or post-hardcore influence. this mix of styles works quite well for the band, and was somewhat refreshing to hear on their debut, but they’re so devoted to it that their unwavering consistency comes off more as a lack of ideas, rather than an assured sense of self. the majority of the songs on swoon are dull, occasionally peppered with compelling riffs that help distract from how unremarkable everything else sounds. rather than crafting themselves a new, unique texture, the bland qualities of their music are sustained by the tired use of strings to evoke a sense of sentiment and atmosphere.
the way the silversun pickups have picked up on emo is comparable to how a band like annuals have, both aim at “big” sounds, and yet annuals aren’t bound to the sound of their inspirations like the pickups are. emo is merely one facet of annuals’ bold eclecticism, and one that allows them to tap into that heart-on-their-sleeve intensity that so many of washington’s finest emo band’s were capable of. you will never confuse annuals with any of their predecessors because they’ve created a world for themselves that exists beyond their influences; it’s one thing to be indebted to a sound, and it’s something completely different to make that sound your own.
i had written bat for lashes off initially, as all of the hype surrounding her first record seemed to be just that. as it turns out though, i was wrong to dismiss her so quickly because her second album, two suns, has completely levelled any preconceptions i had of her music, or any expectations i had that this would be her “sophomore slump.”
khan’s work has garnered many-a-comparison to the likes of kate bush and tori amos, and perhaps it was those comparisons (in part) that drove me away from listening to her debut album. while she certainly is indebted to the work of those respective artists, khan’s style is much more akin to that of someone like patrick wolf, who genre-hops as he pleases and who can be brooding or wistful at the drop of a hat without it sounding forced or contrived. it’s that kind of natural unpredictability that makes two suns so enjoyable to listen to, as khan crafts artful pop songs that seem to twist and turn and never sit still. “peace of mind” begins with a slight synth line, disappearing only to make room for a droning guitar pattern, and as the song pushes forward, the distant beat of timpani (or an equally large percussive instrument) builds the tension in the song at a staggering pace, until khan, joined by a choir, sings the titular refrain, transforming the piece into a cathartic gospel. while the latter half of the record delves into more ethereal territory, the record never loses momentum. each song has a revelatory moment like that in “peace of mind” as they all pulse with an energy and life that is excitingly refreshing to hear.
i was lucky enough to see metric play a show at my university for “frosh week” while they were promoting the heck out of live it out. some of the most memorable moments during a live show come from a band’s interaction with the crowd,so it was interesting to see them struggle to really get people moving. at one point, emily haines announced thenext song, something from old world underground, where are you now?, and following a minimal response,she backpedaled and opted for something a little newer and rousing. while that was probably the right decision for her to make, what struck me about that moment was the clear dichotomy being made between the crowd-pleaser and the older metric song, and it’s a dichotomy that the band only reinforces, rather than reconciles, on their latest effort: fantasies.
why wasn’t the older metric song something worth playing? why would it have only been appropriate to play if the audience had been familiar with it? on their new record, metric chose to vie for the listener’s attention in much more overt and obvious ways, making the issue of familiarity no longer a concern, but also sacrificing many of their better, defining qualities in the process. the most noticeable change the band has made is in haines’ lyrics, which were far from opaque on previous albums, but which also dealt with meatier and more varying topics. while simplicity is never a bad thing, over-simplicity is always a risk, and haines revamped lyrical style finds her constantly over-stepping that fine line. the rest of the band respond to her delivery with bouncy, “fun,” dance rock that just screams “generic.” i’m almost certain that joules scott-key only has a high hat and snare, because he really doesn’t make full use of his drum kit and doesn’t employ any skillful qualities that might be chalked up to having a personality. while haines & co. might have lightened up a bit on this record, toning down haines’ lyrical edge means that much more attention is being drawn to the rest of the band, who really aren’t ready to be that much more present in the music.
