The Librarians - Present Passed

Genre electro-pop Publisher Postfact Records External Links

Electric psychedelic band The Librarians take you through their vision of an acid trip. A lot of times you think you are going through an enclosed echo chamber while listening to Present Passed. The bad uses a lot of musical instruments that really, in my opinion, have no business being used in conventional music - which I think is exactly what they were aiming for. If the aim was to shatter all the rules of musical law and theory, we can have a different discussion.

In reading about the band, I kept finding these quotes about them having punk rock and T-Rex influences. Let me tell you something, the only thing that even remotely resembles punk rock in this music is that it’s kept relatively simple. The music doesn’t go off on some bizarre 7/26th beat, which is nice. “Pitch perfect” is another thing I hear about this band. And yes, make no mistake, the music is pretty much dead on perfect, with almost no fluctuation in flow. That’s another really big problem and yet another reason it sounds remarkably sterile and boring.

There are, however, some attempts to push forward with some rock-age. But a solid foundation with a great backbeat doesn’t make a rock song or anything near a rock song. You know what you need? A power E chord that sounds like a power E chord. This music sounds more like what depressed emo/goth kids would listen to, so they can feel mellow while they feel their fake depression. But alas, it wasn’t all bad. There was something resembling a real song towards the end of the album! A beautiful little guitar arpeggio along with what becomes all too common Gregorian chant like vocals drive it, along with yet another solid back beat. All too often, the singer, and all of the instruments really, sound like they were recorded in either a huge bathroom or an echo chamber which got to be very annoying after a while.

Ironically, the most musical song on the whole album was one of the shortest. “Cranberry Palace”  was said “belongs amongst the 1960s heartbreakers, between the charm of The Turtles and the pitch perfect humility of The Zombies." Now, a lot of the music back in that day was written for bubblegum pop purposes, but the music was sung and played with feeling and conviction. Sadly while I don’t agree that there was much heart in the song, the chirpy guitars combined with a nice rolling bass line that was ever present made for a pretty damn good song. Once again, the song falls short due to, well most of the deficiencies I have already mentioned.

Sorry folks, I can’t give this one a passing grade. I will say, if you feel that the digital equivalent of windchimes and a triangle (remember those from grade school band!?) are viable musical instruments, then by all means, go out and get this album. If, however, you like a bit more life in your music, you may want to pass on this one.