The Record Low CD Release Party
I’m a bit slow on posting this one… perhaps because: 1. my photos from the show sucked (see below) – 2. I wanted to get a chance to listen to newly released album Here to Stay (absolutely tragic name for an album by the way) – or 3. I saw them play just a few weeks ago at the Empty Bottle.
The show was a blast… in attendance was CJ, Ish, Leigh, Bennie, My Bro, Shark, McBoom and even Hedberg. I enjoyed the set but have to admit that I thought the Empty Bottle show was better. I guess hearing the material live for first time (in a while) just played better… or the ability to get up close at the Empty Bottle makes the atmosphere more engaging. That being said, I enjoyed the performance and the packed audience seemed to eat it up. ‘The Bullet and the Arrow’ went over with resounding success – the audience alternating the chorus “Anywhere but where we are right now” with Hank on stage. The line could’ve come off as trite but when you have an entire audience joining in, it all the sudden seems to have weight and significance. Now they just gotta get an encore number together.
On to the album (Here to Stay) which I’ve listened to a few times through since Friday. First things first, Hank’s voice emerges with more subtilty and enunciation than you hear live. This allows the material on the album a greater variance which is key to most any quality rock album. Some of the best songs on the disc are the ’softer’ acoustic numbers such as “Pass Away” that I don’t think they play live (or if they do, they do so as a band).
The frustrating part about the album is the song “Keep Up”. The beginning is moving, opening with just drums and an intermittent bright guitar chord. Hank comes in with lyrics that play well off each other – even more so due to the lack of spacing between lines – each sentence basically runs into the next and one’s not sure at first listen where one thought ends and the next begins. The last line of the first verse builds to scream: “…we’re not in trouble, we’re just surrounded by Enemy Fire” behind a wall of guitar distortion. Love it… the duality between the insouciant opening and the unadulterated angst that ends it is pure rock ‘n roll. The next verse builds on the same idea but ends in more subdued fashion that only to leads us into a well-worn, anthemic rock chorus that just kills whatever came before it…. Tragic. What was a beautifully constructed piece of music falls victim to the all-too-common rock convention that the chorus must involve some catchy pop chord progression and a touch vocal harmony. I’ve listened to this song perhaps 10 times but haven’t had the heart to make it all the way through more than the first few listens. Usually I’ll just play the beginning really fucking loud for a good cathartic release and then become disinterested about 2 minutes in.
I’m being harsh – I know… for a first album this is terrific stuff. ‘These Girls’, ‘Run of the Mill’ and ‘Here to Stay’ are all great songs that play just as well on the album as they do live.
I can’t even sing and play at the same time so I don’t know what makes me one to think my opinion means jack shit. Check ‘em out live – if you dig the show – get the album.
