Customer Reviews

Two Cups for a Tale

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After the previous year's "Worth The Weight," expectations for the new record from The Simple Ones were high even if only a handful of people were waiting for it.

"Two Cups For A Tale" proved to be somewhat difficult to swallow at first listen, but like many songs on the previous effort, the tunes on "Two Cups" manage to worm their way into your head.

Somehow, songs like "Dealing For Now," and "Three Point Two Percent Story" (truly great tunes) don't immediately reveal themselves and the temptation is to write this off as a disappointing effort.

Give it a couple of weeks though. In addition to the two mentioned above, "Heavy Lidded," and "Minutes To Play" reveal themselves to be strong efforts produced with a twist that make them stick in your head as you drive to Circle K for a twenty ounce and a pack of white crosses. This is a record that you may not listen to more than once when you bring it! home. Six weeks later though, it will have a permanent home in your cd player.

They do stumble occasionally. "We Are" and "Speak In Tongues" never seem to get the job done, the former being a playful filler complete with munchkin chanting.

"They're Everywhere" continues the playful experimentation but to much greater effect proving that dusty, scratched records in the library are pretty damn weird.

Give it time. The lyrics are strong and imbued with humor and occasionally touch a nerve that you may not have known that you had.

The Simple Ones put forth a solid sophomore effort with "Two Cups for a Tale." With catchy chord progressions and great vocals from singer Jared McStay, these songs will remind you of the Pixies' heyday, while adding elements of the great music tradition of their hometown, Memphis, Tennessee. The band's lyrics seem to swirl around the songs' foci, leading us to, rather than spelling out their messages. The album ranges from the hysteria-fueled rage of "Testosterone" to the introspective, building tension snd release of "Sick and Tired." A must-hear selection.