Imbroco

Item: Are You My Lionkiller?
Author: Justin W. Jones

Are You My Lionkiller?

(2000)

Reviewed by Justin W. Jones

Discogs Apple Music Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Deep Elm RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2000

emo indie rock post-hardcore shoegaze

Starting the album off with a child-like xylophone, one gets the idea that this album is not going to be a pick me upper. As much indie rock as it is pop, Imbroco is forging a melodic path that transcends musical categories.

Made up of current and or ex-members of huge indie favorites such as, Pop Unknown, The Impossibles, Mineral, and The Stereo this all star line up rivals the 2000 Los Angeles Lakers. It shows through in the music, the sound, the production, the layout. It shows through in everything except for one thing--the singing. Rory (ex-Stereo, The Impossibles) is anything but a lead vocalist. His flat notes send what would usually be a soothing melody into a sound that sends a chill up the backbone of the listener. On the ultra-poppy "Northstar is an Airplane" he sounds somewhat on key. It must be the soft, wispy vocal arrangement on this track that gives his voice the boost. With singing like his, using a double vocal track (which they do) really hurts. It's one thing when there is one flat voice, but when there are two flat voices trying to harmonize.. well.. you get the picture.

But one can't help but enjoy this project. If you keep reminding yourself that this is indie rock, and it's okay to sing off key, then you'll get a few more miles on this EP than you normally would. It sounds a lot like older Pop Unknown, with their minor key melodies, and emotional bridges. Deep Elm is usually good at finding bands that know just how to pull your heart strings, and then rock out two minutes later, and Imbroco is no different. They are worth checking out, but just don't say that you weren't warned about the vocals. Had the vocals been better, so would their rating.

3 tocks