There are problems with this LP. Previous work was very homespun and the cuteness of it all allowed you to ignore the band's flaws. Once the production got cleared it up, the band's shortcomings come to light. For one, they sound an awful lot like Pavement. While they were contemporaries with the band, I've talked to some people in the know. I asked about the Pavement sound on this LP and most have said the band was pretty in tune with what Pavement was doing (wink, wink). Second, they borrow heavily from others. I mean, obvious influences are great. But, there are tunes that walk the line with lifting. R.E.M. and the Velvet Underground come to mind when spinning this LP.
Aside from that, this album has what I consider the greatest song the band recorded, 'Carmen Cross.' I love the song, it's not up on YouTube and I'm not savvy enough to transfer anything to the site myself. But, if you get a chance, listen to it. The winding melody and Debby's child-like vocals are great.
More over, their are moments of genuine originality. Songs like 'Fight Fight Fight', and to a certain extent, 'Serpentine', showcase a slacker cowboy vibe. You get a feeling the band wanted to do country, but in true lo-fi fashion scraped all the pomp surrounding the genre and just laid down what felt right. Also, the negatives aren't that bad. If you tell me (and a lot of other people) it sounds like Pavement, we're going to buy that record. And, if you're going to lift, The Velvets and R.E.M. are pretty solid choices.
Serpentine
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