ARTIST: The Bleachers
TITLE: Suspicion
LABEL: Village Industries
GENRE: Indie
BITRATE: 218kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 0h 55m total
RELEASE DATE: 2006-05-00
RIP DATE: 2006-06-06
Track List
----------
1. Witch Trials 4:33
2. Invitation 4:27
3. Suitcase B 3:42
4. Roller Rink 3:35
5. Slumberjack #2 5:21
6. The King Is Always The King 4:21
7. Don't Make No Roads 4:30
8. Octopus 5:29
9. Anne,A Death In Segments 2:19
10. Let Me Down Easy 3:34
11. Tell It To The Teleprompter 4:10
12. Suitcase C 2:29
13. Poltergeist 6:32
Release Notes:
http://www.bleachersmusic.net/
A few weeks ago, I received in my constantly overflowing e-mail box a couple
songs by The Bleachers. I gave æem a couple listens and liked them, so I got
ahold of a review copy, and a few to pass along to you, dear readers.
HereÆs my review. It starts luke warm, but read all the way through. IÆm digging
this band. Especially the drummer. He is amazing. Truly.
But my love affair with the group didnÆt begin easy. The album arrived in the
mail, and I popped it in. Boy was I surprised by the first song. The singles
were mostly uptempo rock numbers and the first song on the CD is Witch Trials, a
slow, creeping tune with finger-style guitar reminiscent of the lead-in to about
half of MetallicaÆs catalog. I keep thinking, the songÆs gonna kick in any
minute, but it doesnÆt. IÆm not hating it, but IÆm not loving it. The next song
begins, Invitation, and I finally start to put it together. With song titles
like these and others called Poltergeist, Anne/A Death In Segments, and Octopus,
this is one of those 80s mystical weirdness bandsùthe kind Spinal Tap built
Stonehenge for. Yeah, and the music is matching it, too. Think Blue Oyster Cult
without the riffs.
Finally we hit track three, Suitcase B, which is one of the songs that was sent
to me. The album kicks in. IÆm starting to understand the band now. TheyÆve got
a æ90s soundùalternative rock, with a solid lead singer, heavy drums, guitars
that arenÆt quite grungy but certainly arenÆt the kind of articulate bluesy
strums youÆd get from a hard rock band. Think R.E.M., college radio, Clinic,
People in Planes . . . Stadium rock for dark nightclubs. From here on, the album
doesnÆt lose momentum, it only gains it. ItÆs rare that an album actually gets
better as the track numbers increaseùusually bands front-load their hits. Rock
through to Slumberjack #2 and Don't Make No Roads . These are great. You just
gotta get into it.
Oh, and make sure you hit Octopus. I think itÆs named this because the drummer
has eight fucking arms. How the hell does he do that?
Then they close with Poltergeist, easily the best song on the album. The rhythm
section is the key to the Bleachers and theyÆre here in all their glory. A hot
track, perfect for parties that involve big kegs, dark rooms, smoke, and
something faintly illegal in the back bedroom.
Overall, the albumÆs pretty good, even if it doesnÆt change much from beginning
to end, and I know IÆll find myself replaying at least some of the tracks
several times this summer. WouldnÆt be surprised if a cut or two made my end of
the year lists.