Read Review of Son Of Evil Reindeer by The Reindeer Section
Review Summary
About the Author
Reindeer Section: Your Sweet Voice Is Not Enough
Mar 24 '04
Pros The coolest cover I've seen in a long while...not to mention some sweet songs...
Cons Monotonous, emotional not thoughtful, and very usual...
The Bottom Line The Reindeer Section return with a second album and twenty-seven collaborators. Am I impressed? Not hardly, but the music usually sounds good.
Full Review
Twenty-seven.
That’s the precise number of contributors to the Reindeer Section’s second effort. The brainchild of Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol), a second album was released under the name the Reindeer Section less than ten months following a first. One would assume that such a quick follow up would be two things. First off, it would resemble the other album. Second off, it couldn’t possibly be good.
Well, Son of Evil Reindeer is much less humorous than indicated by the cover. In fact, it is a darker and more somber affair than the critically successful Y'all Get Scared Now, Ya Hear! The lo-fi sentimentality of Son of an Evil Reindeer is charming and refreshing, but not brilliant. This all-star assemblage of musicians and singers represents pop of all kinds hailing from Scotland. The instrumentation of the album is intricate and if for no other reason, this is the epoxy that holds the twelve songs together.
So how does the Reindeer Section sound? Well, considering there are members from illustrious bands like Snow Patrol, Belle & Sebastian, Arab Strap, Idlewild, Teenage Fanclub, Mogwai, and many others it probably goes without saying that they sound great. But sounding great and actually being great are in this case two very different characteristics. I’m not going to try to completely pick apart who did what on this album, but I will give credit where credit is due as best I as a mere mortal can. Acting as producer is the combo of Lightbody (of course) and Tony Doogan (Belle & Sebastian, Mogwai, Movjave 3, and The Mountain Goats among others). All other duties are split amongst the (scores of) other collaborators. The whole album is a regrettably brief glimpse of today’s Scottish talent.
Nothing about the Reindeer Section is hard on the ears. Opening song Grand Parade sets the tone for the complete album. Rich and evocative arrangements, beautiful melodies/harmonies, and simply sweet songs are spread throughout. But I want something more. I want to be challenged and Son of Evil Reindeer doesn’t do that. It makes me feel but it doesn’t make me think. Sometimes even the feeling gets old. Grand Parade and Budapest (the opening song) both feature Lightbody on vocals. He is a cool, confident crooner but to be quite honest the songs are almost indistinguishable from one another. Nice? Yes. Interesting? No.
Strike Down is a major improvement though with a lovely harmony provided by Eugene Kelly (the Vaselines), Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), and Jenny Reave (Eva). It is here that Lightbody’s aptitude for arrangement shines through. At the same time the song is meek and modest and light, it is also rich with layers of instruments and vocals. This is the point that the album most shines. Not to ignore the songs that follow…but still, it is hard to deny the quality of Strike Down.
On the heels of Strike Down is another rather lovely song--Your Sweet Voice. The melody is perhaps my favorite of the entire album. It sparkles and shimmers with graceful ease. Though, one thing becomes clear as the song plods along—not even flawless melody can be repeated nine thousand times and not become tiresome.
As Son of Evil Reindeer moves forward it leaves me with a question: “So what?” I like what I hear and feel but there’s only so much hearing and feeling to be done without the aid of my brain. Latter songs including Cartwheels, You Are My Joy and Whodunnit? are somewhat interesting. But aside from the country slant of You Are My Joy the Reindeer Section just picks up and recycles musical ideas already well explored here and elsewhere by other folks (specifically Belle & Sebastian).
There’s so much to love about Son of Evil Reindeer. It is a nice album--though I hate using that word--a sticky sweet, well arranged, and well performed pop piece. There’s nothing hideous about it, but there’s just so much that I’ve heard before that I’m left with a flatly apathetic taste in my mouth.
Maybe there’s a limit to the number of collaborators an album should have…
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Grand Parade
02. Budapest
03. Strike Me Down
04. Your Sweet Voice
05. I’ll Be Here When You Wake
06. Where I Fall
07. Cartwheels
08. Last Song on Blue Tape
09. Cold Water
10. You Are My Joy
11. Who Told You
12. Whodunnit?
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