Friday, September 18, 2009

Well Runs Dry

Upper Air - Bowerbirds

I am going to go ahead and warn Jejune, this review is not going to be glowing.

Bowerbirds are a bit of the 'it' band in new folk. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I find myself bored when I listen to this album. All the elements are there to make this a great album, most people are raving about it, but it is bland to me.

The male singing to female companionship is not so interesting and a little overplayed these days. The songs aren't bad by any means, several are quite good and a few really good, maybe one great, but strong together and I just can't get through this album.

I enjoy Ghost Life but by the time Northern Lights hits I have grown tired and it's unknown what really transpires beyond. Here I fall victim to wanting more and not appreciating what's their. I love the challenge of learning to listen for new sounds, respect what I may not know or appreciate, but here it's not a complexity I have to wrap my head around, it's simplicity.

I know that a lot of this style of music is probably simple to listeners. Sometimes that's a good thing, I like that Iron and Wine can be bare bones and I love that The Avett Brothers can be over the top, i find this album sowhere in between, maybe a little off to the left; wherever it is, I'll leave it be. Maybe Jejune can show me the light.
Rating:

2 comments:

m. jejune said...

Well, I won't try to change your mind if you're not into it. It sounds like you gave it a fair shot and it wasn't your cup of tea.

I agree that there is nothing groundbreaking about their music, but sometimes I am not in the mood for envelope-pushers.

I think that I am just a sucker for the boy-girl harmonies. I agree that dynamic has been a little played-out recently, but I am not as sick of it as everyone else is.

Just to show that there are no hard feelings, I won't come on here to gloat after the Falcons work the Panthers this afternoon.

Unknown said...

My roomie tried to sell me on some Bowerbirds, but I just couldn't get into it either. Megafaun opened for them last month in the ATL and I am buying their sound.