Guff
Symphony of Voices
Go-Kart
originally published December 26, 2007
Guff, local purveyor of PBR and punk rock, is back with plenty of vitriol to burn. The foursome of Ash, Reed, Jay and Charlie Guff (they've got a Ramones-type surname thing going now, it would seem) don't do a whole lot of tinkering with their soaring brand of melodic punk on the band's latest release Symphony of Voices. The album does, though, present a more refined, more immediate-sounding version of the band than we've seen and heard in the past.
Packed full of cranked-up guitars, emotive vox and plenty of anthemic choruses, Symphony shows the Guff guys beefing up their arrangements and creating sharpened, succinct tunes like "Changed," "Hard To Remember" and "The More You Tried To Hide." You could very well imagine much of this getting modern rock radio airplay, which would actually be a good deed done for both the band and the modern FM dial in general.
In short, Guff isn't doing anything drastically new or especially mind-blowing on Symphony of Voices. That doesn't necessarily speak badly of the album or artists, though, as it's a collection highlighted by the maturing talent and drive of a little punk rock band from Athens, along with its desire to become a better-known, if not sharper sounding, punk rock band from Athens.
It also reveals the Guff guys are proudly astute at unironic balladry, as displayed by a straight acoustic take of Journey's "I Can See It In Your Eyes" (the suggestion to record the tune came directly from Journey captain Steve Perry, himself), that predictably closes out the album.
Guff is playing at Tasty World on Monday, Dec. 31.
The Pendletons
Oh, Me!
Indie Outlaw
originally published December 26, 2007
In a lot of ways, The Pendletons conjure thoughts of The Whigs circa 2003: they're a totally solid local rock-and-roll band; they've got some really great songs; they've got the potential to appeal to a larger audience.
But like a lot of other post-Whigs bands here in town - bands like The Empties and The Cubs, for instance - The Pendletons could stand to trim some of their weaker songs and focus on their strengths. The exuberantly unhinged "Sad Songs" is a knockout tune, a relentless, infectious throwback to early '60s garage rock held down by Ben DuPriest's drumming. Slight guitar touches in the song's quieter moments recall mid-period Beatles playing around with country sounds. And the jangly "Put That Record On" is direct, simple and to-the-point - an uncomplicated and deeply rewarding number. But limper numbers like "Step Outside" and the album's title track pull Oh, Me! into generic, uninteresting territory.
And then there's the song "The Rent," only the third song on the disc. It opens with a brisk, staccato guitar intro strikingly similar to Modest Mouse's "Float On" (and not too far from Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out," either), and every single time the song comes on or I've heard 'em play it live, I think "Oh, are they cover… oh, wait, no, this is that song." It's frustrating that a song like "The Rent" can't stand on its own, because it's also one of the tracks on Oh, Me! that best shows off Adam Saunders' McCartney-trying-a-Lennon-scream vocals.
Saunders spent time with the Whigs this past summer laying down bass lines for that band's upcoming album Mission Control. The Whigs were able to move beyond their more predictable numbers (once they started writing new songs after a couple years). It's tough for any group to distinguish itself from other mid-'00s guitar band, but The Pendletons could, even if following in the Whigs' footsteps. I hope they do.
The Pendletons are playing at the Caledonia Lounge on Thursday, Jan. 10, and at the 40 Watt Club on Thursday, Jan. 24.
Supercluster
Special 5 EP
Independent Release
originally published December 26, 2007
Vanessa Hay's a busy little icon lately. The world's admiring ears are at long last again turned in Pylon's direction with the much-heralded reissue of Gyrate by hipster label DFA. The band has played some great shows this year; perhaps the renewed interest in Pylon's legacy (much deserved, as Gyrate hasn't aged a week) gave Hay the fever to create more music, but the reason's not important. Such a voice should never sing only for itself. This past spring, she and some other Athens mainstays formed Supercluster, and just in time for the holidays, we already have a nice little five-track EP, Special 5. Also in the band is John Fernandes, he of Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, Dark Meat and so many more. An interesting musical marriage, and luckily the two personalities temper each other well. Hannah Jones of the New Sound of Numbers is also a songwriting member, as well as Vanessa's husband Bob Hay, and plenty of others.
Nothing here's too psychedelic or too frantic, with the possible exception of "Too Many Eights," which does get trippy like an old sci-fi score. It's impossible not to hear Pylon in every word that comes from Vanessa's vocal cords, but none of these all-stars' other projects dominate the sound of any song. Instead, the band simply relies on impressively strong songwriting. "Peace Disco Song" would be the obvious hit, with a slight Stipe flavor and acoustic sing-along reverie, but "The Mermaid's Tale" is the most awesome of the bunch. A beautiful tremolo sea shanty with Vanessa turning in an affecting vocal performance.
The EP's even more of a success when considering that the band is still in its infancy - they've only played two full shows. Here's hoping the teething stage goes smoothly, and that some of the current spotlight on Pylon will reflect onto Athens' newest.
My Unborn Children
Foolish
Independent Release
originally published December 26, 2007
Probably the most accurate thing one can say about Foolish is that it sounds like what it is: a self-released, home-recorded CD-R by a singer-accordionist. (The singer-accordionist in question here is Talia Bromstad, a member of local band the Ice Cream Socialists.) The vocals are up-front, largely untreated and shakily if winningly harmonized. The fakey-fakey drums are way back in the mix so their fakeness is largely unobjectionable, and there tends to be a lot of reverb. There are many cheap-sounding keyboards, and there is no bass. Nothing sounds polished, but nothing sounds really rough, either; just plain. It would sound good played at low volume in an older car after something small and pretty, like Electrolene. It would sound bad played loudly around a bunch of intense, bearded dudes who just finished listening to Deerhoof. Foolish seems to demand a certain restraint, but if you're relaxed and in the mood for little love songs, it's just right.
Even "Ramona," a song about drowning a baby, doesn't break the mood. It's not creepy in its juxtaposition of cheery music and grotesquerie, but a sincere expression of loss. The singer really is sad about the baby that she drowned, in the same manner that you'd reminisce about a lost love. That dislocation is so in character that it works as a wistful pop song, contextualizing its horrors as banal to the person expressing them. On a seemingly predictable album, it suggests that different ways of listening might be rewarded.
My Unborn Children is playing at a local DIY venue on Sunday, Jan. 6.
If you are having problems with the site, or have questions or suggestions, please contact us here. Thanks!
Care to comment on this article? Click here!
You will be the first person to comment on this article.