To be honest, I didn't expect The Merbabies to be back. They seemed like one of those one-shot bands that nobody really talked about. Yet here they are with a lengthy follow-up EP that sticks to the same indie rock sound and whiny Dinosaur Jr. vocals, but somehow seems to do it a little bit better.
For one thing, the shorter album length agrees with them, causing the songs to stand out more. The production also seems better, with meatier guitars and a bit more oomph in the bass. (Some people complained about the first album's production; I think they've fixed those problems here, but I could never really hear the flaws on the first album, so it's hard to tell.) Plus the songs are just plain catchier, and should appeal to a wider range of listeners than the usual depressed indie scene-sters.
The Merbabies bill themselves as the "cowboys of indie rock," which makes little sense until you realize the cowboy moniker has nothing to do with recognizable forms of country-western music, but with a similarity in lazy beats and strumming (just drenched in melodic distortion), and the same sad drawl in the vocals. Song lyrics like those in "The Fix"--which lament not being there for a friend who died from drugs-- convey the kind of mournful feelings one imagines cowboys get riding alone on the range. It's a strange juxtaposition of worlds, melodic indie rock couching the resurrected heart of a bygone western icon with the self-reproachment of a modern-day Christian:
the last time we spoke,
what a joke
the thing that you said,
born again
i should have been there when the needle sunk so deep
and i wish that they cared more when you closed
your eyes to sleep.
The only big disappointment is the absence of the atmospheric surf instrumentals which were the highlights of the debut. If they could re-integrate elements of those into their regular songs, they'd be something truly special. As long as they keep creating albums like this, striding forward in quality with each new effort, they're well on their way.
3.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #75Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovernThe sophomore disc from The Merbabies displays a long jump of growth, both musically and lyrically. Vocals are as varied as bands like Radiohead and Pedro the Lion, and there is even more songwriting diversity than the Merbabies' self-titled debut. Many have even called these guys the "cowboys of indie rock," because of their country leanings. "The Fix" is a touching, reflective song that could…
