Customer Reviews

Record In Red

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a mega-excellent CD chocked full of kick ..., warped, twisted, 2-3 minute long songs that are unbelievably catchy yet very freaky at the same time. It's very hard to pinpoint these guys. The closest match is maybe Snow Patrol, but way better (that's saying something considering Snow Patrol is one of the best albums of the year as well). The best track is the haunting #5 Art-Maker. Golden Cloak and Winter are great also as well as the last 2 numbers on the disc, Sound Again and Walking Thru the Lake. Despite great reviews, this CD hasn't recieved the notariety it deserves and I have no idea why. It makes no other "Best of 2001" list that I know of and doesn't recieve nearly the recognition as it peers (only 1 other review so far and ironically is another person from Cincy). Do yourself a favor and order it today. You will not be disappointed.

The album's simplicity belies a deeply psychotic streak in this Hoosier hoedown: talk of monsters speaking in the singer's voice ("telling me what to do"), artists as Green River Killers, etc. Tremendous, creepy stuff. Pretty simple execution (indie guitar, bass, drum rattle) but with nice parsley on the side: echo, keys, sha-la-las. For fanz of the Fall, the Church, the Clean, Mission of Burma...a lot of 80s angular guitar work and Halloween atmosphere.

This is a great CD of very inventive, ahead of the curve, psychadelic, progressive, dark, wierd music. However, all the songs range in 2-4 minutes and are very catchy. If you dig The Auteurs' After Murder Park, Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs, or The Shins' Oh! Inverted World, you will definitely love this disc. If you like Radiohead, Mercury Rev, Yo La Tengo, Built to Spill, Granddaddy, or any other of the art-rock big boys you will love this album. Marmoset has all the skills these bands do, they just do it in shorter songs. If you like the edgey pop rock like Pavement, The Boo Radleys, or Royal Trux, buy this record. If you like Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, get it. Never heard of any of these bands I mentioned? Get this album anyway.

I already own this album on vinyl (the faithful Joyful Noise re-issue (comes with mp3s)) but I'm buying on CD so I can listen to it at work and while driving. This album is a secret, beautiful, dark masterpiece. Their new album, Tea Tornado, was the soundtrack to my summer last year; I couldn't get enough of it. For some reason, this amazing band has been and continues to be criminally under-appreciated. "Eyes Are Looking", "Art-Maker", "Frendamine", "Summertime is Easy", "The Tuesday Horn" and "Walking Thru The Lake" are highlights (a lot of highlights, I know) but the album works wonderfully as a whole. Creepy, short and sweet.