Review in Reverse

The Weepies
Hideaway

Boston duo dons meek façade to defer naysay

This album’s benign, poppy folk sound is carbonated enough to offer the occasional hiccup of satisfaction, but is otherwise too timid to impress. Guitar and drums are so basic and minimal that there are in essence only vocals here worth critiquing – effectively anyway. These come across well enough on the part of Deb Talan’s waifish whimper. The weak link here is partner Steve Tannen, on whom at least three potentially passable songs are wasted. That said, avoid his incessant droning in ‘Wish I Could Forget,’ ‘Not Dead Yet’ and ‘Lighting Candles’ altogether. Even providing soft harmonies, it’s quite clear Talan should be brought and kept at the forefront indefinitely.

Whoever’s singing though, it’s only ever for two to three minutes. The group is able-bodied enough to write pretty lyrics for a few bars and then even more able to repeat them to self-satisfaction. This in turn questions whether or not the Weepies really have much to cry about. Tonally, tracks are cool and somber, but the band strives to make their heartache too palatable. This results in less than memorable, bittersweet songs that wash all too placidly over listeners. Would-be pinnacles of this album are ‘Antarctica,’ ‘Just Blue’ and ‘All This Beauty.’ These at least inject some life into things and take listeners somewhere – however literally. Overall, this album lives up to its name and shies from notice. Talan seems to affirm this herself: ‘Even the stars / Sometimes fade to gray / Even the stars / Hideaway.’ This album hides too well to be sought.

*Disclaimer: I LOVE this band/album!

Cherry Review: An Album of Note

Metric
Fantasies

***/5

Hard-lolita Haines delivers toe-tapping alt-ruckus

Bouncing back to their early 2000 roots, Canada’s Metric continues to ride their new age-inspired indie rock wave with singer Emily Haines still topping the hypnotic crest. Harkening back to more hard-hitting albums like Live it Out (2005) and Old World Underground (2003), Fantasies challenges listeners with solemn, complex quandaries concerning fame, relationships and inevitable accountability to both. Deeper concepts may be lost on those who can’t quit jiving to Haines’ alluring voice, but that’s half the point. Though potentially heavy downers, songs aided by her consistently clamorous-turned precocious sound allows listeners to absorb seamlessly. ‘Front Row,’ for instance, accounts that the greatest aspect of stardom is eventual supernova, coyly stating: ’He’s not perfect, he’s a victim / of his occupation, social insulation … / … Burned out stars they shine so bright.’

Sure-fire hits like ‘Sick Muse,’ the album’s near-perfect opener ‘Help I’m Alive’ and ‘Gold Guns Girls’ also vie with innate corruption of social and monetary success/excess with solid guitar, drums and synths. The album drags a bit toward the middle, ‘Twilight Galaxy’ especially seeming to lack energy present elsewhere. However, strong tracks like ‘Satellite Mind,’ the charming ‘Collect Call’ and the album’s finale of romantic showdown ‘Stadium Love’ (despite some annoying riffs) make up for the lag. Listening to Metric at its best is overhearing a conflicted woman’s lyrical diatribe against the harsh world we live in. Haines says it best in ‘Alive’, matter-of-factly singing: ‘If I stumble they’re gonna eat me alive … / … Help, I’m alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer / Hard to be soft, tough to be tender.’ The group overcomes, presenting something at once rebellious and comprehensive.