ether_ashe

This is an excellent album: terse, sinewy, direct, surly, no-nonsense pop tinged with a cynicism (hate perhaps?) that gives it a rock edge. The vocals conjure up the spectre of the Smiths in their prime. But this guy isn't whining like Morrissey. He's pissed off and telling everybody to shut the f*ck up, like the quiet, smart kid in school who is sick of listening to all the stupid kids chattering about nothing. It sounds like years and years of frustration pouring out, and it's righteous frustration.
In fact, this guy's vox would kick Morrissey's arse. Not in any kind of vocal contest, but just in a bare-knuckled street fight. The female vox is rich and quirky, adding a bit of relief to the whole scene. It's a good thing, since otherwise this album would somehow explode, due to the latent frustration that's pouring through
the musical seams I can feel the social isolation and desperation of early Violent Femmes here.
But the musical sensibility goes all the way back to the early days of rock & roll. I can hear the ghosts of Roy Orbison, the Beetles, the Byrds, creeping around in the background. And there's also a powerful punk presence. If I didn't know better, I would think that this band hails from the amazing Minneapolis scene.

Great job. An album I will listen to over and over again. My only question is: who the hell are these guys and
where have they been hiding? Thanks for the recommendation PornBoy.