Bound Stems - Appreciation Night

Genre rock Publisher Flameshovel External Links Official Bound Stems Website Official Flameshovel Website

If you've ever visited one of those crappy, fly-by-night, staffed-by-pedophiles-and-convicts traveling carnivals as a kid, chances are good you're familiar with a ride called The Scrambler. It's reasonably fun: you sit three across - probably you, a sibling, a friend, maybe your mom if she's feeling adventurous that day - the lap bar clicks into place and away you go, being pulled, thrown, accelerated, spun, pushed and jerked around for however long the Carney feels like torturing and/or elating you that day. The Bound Stems first full-length debut album Appreciation Night is a sonic version of that ride. An everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to production and songwriting that makes this album an aural strobe-light that could induce an epileptic fit: constant tempo shifts, abrupt transitions, time changes, random sound samples and syncopated vocal lines have nothing tying it all together. Tracks often begin one way and end completely changed and while I'm sure this requires an acute sense of timing and prodigious levels of musicianship, unrestrained usage renders the songs unfocused and disjointed. Vocal structures and treatments call to mind Modest Mouse and Postal Service as well as Arcade Fire's art-rock freeform vibe, though not nearly as masterfully executed or balanced. Also, a note for Chicago bands: we've all heard a sample of the el tracks; figure out a different sound bit to represent this town.

Part of the payoff of good songwriting is for the song to develop how the ear wants it to once in a while, without constantly switching back around, yanking us somewhere unexpected. Once in a while for variation, fine, but everything in moderation: even variety can get monotonous. I like The Scrambler but I certainly couldn't ride the thing all damn day. Well, at least not without barfing on that creepy Carney with the lazy eye.