Customer Reviews

METRIC

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An infusion of instrumentation lays the ground for the overlying vocals as Spanish for 100 continues to reach audiences. Whether it is their similarities often noted to such bands as Modest Mouse, or just their own sense of uniqueness, this band enthuses.

And although the album is not that full in a capacity sense, having merely six songs, the band displays their aptitude to play live, or to develop in studio. Hey, sometimes it takes a little to do a lot, and I think Spanish for 100 has taken Metric and done a fair amount.

The word-of-mouth element most likely to perk up the ears of any indie fan with Spanish for 100's second release, the Metric EP, is that it was produced by the illustrious Phil Ek. Ek's work (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse) has been key in the movement to augment controlled grit atmospherics and, more importantly, incorporate elements of country into indie music without people fleeing with their hands over their ears. That being said, emo-doing-country band Spanish for 100 might have nearly as integrated a variety of elements as Ek's most successful clients, but the elements themselves lack much sense of adventurousness. Overlong and repetitive jams ("Jungle With Lions", "See Now") feel particularly uninspired next to their tighter melodies ("Go Away, Come Home", "Fell a Bird"), especially for the latter's utilization of Corey Passons' feathery, high vocal range. The EP has moments of great clarity, beauty and urgency, but on the whole (and especially being an EP) it doesn't satiate the promise of channeled talent implicit in Ek's reputation.