Space Camp - Royalty, Etc.
ARTIST.....: Space Camp
TITLE......: Royalty, Etc.
LABEL......: Royalty, Etc.
URL........: www.royaltyetc.com
RIP DATE...: May-07-2006
STORE DATE.: Apr-15-2005
GENRE......: Indie
QUALITY....: VBR / 44.1Hz / Joint-Stereo
SIZE.......: 72,8 MB
Track Listing:
01 - Science Of The Situation 03:53
02 - Credit Due 04:15
03 - Royalty, Etc. 03:05
04 - Radio Velveteen 01:55
05 - 2 Sec Gap 02:43
06 - Drowning Team 03:55
07 - Hotel Riviera 02:11
08 - Microscopic Ship 02:23
09 - Jackets On, Jackets Off 04:16
10 - This Is A Test 01:53
11 - The Goth Girls Have Gone Interspatial 02:43
12 - This One Goes On F o r e v e r 03:13
13 - There Are Openings 05:00
14 - Planets 07:10
─────
48:35 min
Release Notes:
www.myspace.com/spacecamper
Tim Uhl - Guitar, Vocals
Jon Greenlee - Guitar, Vocals
Adam Meyers - Bass
Aaron Seevers - Drums
Upstart local label Royalty, Etc. Records returns with another
killer release. Space Camp's Mike Wisti-produced sophomore effort
- named for its home base - is a marvelous collection of angst-
and-frayed-nerves-inspired indie rock. Though the press kit for
this album crows that the band sounds "exactly like" The Pixies,
Modest Mouse and Archers Of Loaf, there are a bevy of other
influences and inspirations abounding in the grooves of Royalty,
Etc. A quick spin reveals touches of The Beatles, Sunny Day Real
Estate, The Kinks, Fugazi, The Cure, Sonic Youth, Rank Strangers
and The Church, as well as some similarities to late, lamented
indie darlings Grickle-Grass.
Kicking off with the tight, irreverent snap of "Science Of The
Situation," Space Camp immediately establish several key facts
about themselves and the album they've released. First, they're
what I like to call a "rocking chair" outfit - meaning they
absolutely adore the honored recording tradition of easing into
their tunes with tentative, introspective openings that would lull
yer gramma into a false sense of security and peace, but that
nearly always morph into either grand, glorious pop overdrives or
snarling, rousing rock anthems guaranteed to blow the old lady
right outta her rockin' chair. Secondly, the vocals here range
from gruff, Henry Rollins-inspired barks to inquisitive, Robert
Pollard-ish squeaks to a simply unpeg-able howl of originality.
And third, this band makes no compromises, recognizes no barriers
and offers no mercy to the uninitiated and the ignorant.
The bulk of the songs here (14 in all) run the gamut from the
obvious and revelatory (the grand fuck-off to cover bands that is
"Radio Velveteen" - sample lyric: "There is nothing left to play/
Press record, you who are in the cover band, turn it off, my
friend") to the weird and enigmatic (the sonic wet dream of
"Jackets On, Jackets Off"), but all hold one ingredient in common
- the sharp, ringing, anthemia of a concentrated, dual-axe attack
that would (and should) put the fear of RAWK into guitar-slingers
from Built To Spill's Doug Martsch to Neil Young.
While the album definitely benefits from producer/rocker/guru Mike
Wisti's magic board touch, there's no doubting the live potential
of the band and their catchy, fiery original material.
Other standout cuts include SC's driving, upbeat tribute to their
label, "Royalty, Etc.," the almost folky riddles of "Drowning
Team," a tune that obviously ties in with the album's cover art;
the front a stark, black and white rendering of a smoking,
drinking couple literally drowning in a sea of gin, the inside a
row of martini glasses and olives, and the distant, melancholy
aural flight that is "There Are Openings," which poses the
question, "Whatever became of the never mind, passin' time, eyes
averted, ignorant/ Faking depth, a desert's worth ..."
The album closes, fittingly, with the dreamy, intergalactic opus,
"Planets," a seven-plus minute-long journey to the center of your
mind filled with overwrought, emotional side trips, pain-wracked,
self-flagellating truisms and soul-soaring, inspirational
insights. Space Camp may not be treading any new ground here, but
they certainly know the terrain they're exploring and have one ear
turned towards the stars for fresh, mind-expanding musical
colonies to come. This time, it's really true - this is one band
that your well-paid, poodle-haired cover band buddy really won't
like. Buy it today and let the righteous torture begin, kiddies.
Check out Space Camp and other killer local outfits at
RoyaltyEtc.com. (pulsetc.com)