Ooooh. It's indie rock. In the world of music there's nothing more pretentious or adored than a good independent rock band. Nix that. If a band gets publicity in any mainstream music magazine in such a way that proclaims them to be the "next big thing" they are suddenly cool. Talent doesn't matter. Funky hair and jeans do. I'm always hesitant to check out indie rock (or pop) bands for this reason. I'm always worried I'll be totally under whelmed by their bad production and copy-cat ways.
So what about The Slip? Who are they? Why are they different...or are they different at all? As they say the proof is in the pudding. The pudding this time around is the band's newest album Eisenhower. The Boston-based band actually began life as a jam band ala Phish or early Dave Matthews Band. As times and members changed, so did their music. Somewhere along the way they morphed into the aforementioned guitar-rich indie rock band they are today.
First things first, I do not like jam bands. I've tried to like various ones but they in general annoy me. Maybe I need to be high when I listen or maybe I'm missing something important. Somehow. For the last fifteen years. In any case, I am relieved that on Eisenhower The Slip when a direction that is inherently more interesting not just for me but for all short-attention-spanned folks. Their jam band roots do show through in the occasionally long length of their tracks, but by and large they've shed one pretension in favor of another.
Eleven songs strong, Eisenhower is a reasonably entertaining album. I don't think it is the most creative thing to ever have happened in music but it also isn't the most derivative. The biggest compliment I can pay this album is that it is listenable. Excellent? Naw. But listenable. I also want to mention that I hadn't heard anything about The Slip prior to picking up this album. In fact, the reason it landed in my palm was because I liked the snazzy digipak. Some days I'm easy to please, some days not so much.
Evidence of the aforementioned jam band roots can be found sprinkled throughout every track here. Though, with that said, I'm not annoyed by a lack of direction. Album opener Children of December is appropriately low-key and fabulously gentle. I love the way it sounds and appreciate The Slip's apparent ability to craft a concise and sparkling indie rock track. The guitars do hint at "jam band" but the song itself is chock full of pure pop goodness. Second song, Even Rats is also catchy even if it probably goes on too long. However it is the piano and guitar driven If One of Us Should Fall that makes me really giddy. I love delicate ballads that aren't sticky-sweet. This song certainly fits the bill. There is no song more lovely on this album.
As with many albums the stronger material is strategically placed at the beginning of the track list. I do enjoy Airplane/Primitive but it drags on too long and doesn't go enough places emotionally or musically. Suffocation Keep makes up for its predecessor with a lovely string section. Another slow, low-key number it features lead singer Andrew Barr. The song touches me with the understated, wistful performances from all people involved. It is definitely an album standout--and was clearly influenced by the likes of Radiohead.
The Soft Machine is really unremarkable. While on the whole I find Eisenhower to be a good album, this song is really just bland. It has all the makings of another Radiohead-influenced opus but is too dull for my taste in the end. Then again, I find Radiohead dull sometimes too. Despite momentarily losing faith in The Slip I'm once again shocked into reality with Life in Disguise which sounds something like an Irish traditional song blended (pleasantly) with a sea shanty, indie rock, and acoustic pop. It is an excellent example why Eisenhower is such an aurally pleasing album without trying too hard. Continuing on, Mothwing Bite is fine too but the mid-tempo arrangement proves too middling for my taste. I guess I prefer something to be more dynamic.
The final two songs, The Original Blue Air and Paper Birds do nothing for me. I prefer to hit stop after the ninth track and pretend the tenth and eleventh never happened. I know that's not politically correct and possibly even offensive, but I can't get over the loooong and boring nature of the final track.
Other than a little blandness and a wee bit of leftover "jam band" ickiness I'm impressed by Eisenhower and The Slip. I have no point of reference as far as their other work, but I can say that if this album is any reflection of anything else they've done I may have to check it out. Then again from what I've read Eisenhower may very well be a major departure for The Slip. Oh well. I kinda like it anyway.
Rating: 4/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Children of December
02. Even Rats
03. If One of Us Should Fall
04. Airplane/Primitive
05. Suffocation Keep
06. First Panda in Space
07. The Soft Machine
08. Life in Disguise
09. Mothwing Bite
10. The Original Blue Air
11. Paper Birds
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