"Minds aren't really that sacred" kicks off the simple lo-fi acoustic first track of Marmoset's new album. While it continues with the wimpy-dirge of "Empty Room" - "the more I try to talk, the more I just get lost" - I search for something that will bring the band to life. I like the fact that their songs come in and out without overstaying their welcome, but haven't been grabbed so far."Strawberry Shortcakes", for example, has the beginnings of a great song, but restricts itself to a bass rhythm (not even a melody). The vocal melody projected could easily have been incorporated throughout.
Track 5, "Come With Me" is actually the first song that does the job. If they just got off the reefer and downed a beer, this could blend very well into a GBV tune. As it stands, it sounds like a giddy Thurston Moore singing very optimistically about taking the "last chance". They follow it up proper with "Toy" which is timidly produced, but a jam nonetheless. (see below)
Some other tracks worth a spin, but sound too eerily similar too each other, are "Musing", "Gretchen" and "I Love These Things". Sure, "Baby, I can smell your illusion," is a dumb line, but there's a certain Afghan Whigness in their dance-ability.
At the end of the day, I may want to love this band, if they could only get their singer to wake up before recording vocal tracks. The lazy-indieness of them just doesn't carry them to the finish line. (2 of 5 stars)
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