Thursday, July 5, 2007

THE BREEDERS – SAFARI EP (4AD)


THE BREEDERS – SAFARI EP (4AD)

I’ve always liked that “Safari” is track three on this CD. In the grand scheme of things it makes no odds to either the world or the quality of the work but it just tickles me that they chose to do that.

“Safari” is a real contradiction of a show, a gulp of breath from a mouth that butter wouldn’t melt in while also being seductively menacing to boot. By now Kelley Deal was now on board in addition to a drummer expertly named “Mike Hunt” (something smells fishy in Ohio, very Walford).

Proceedings open with “Do You Love Me Now?” which is a song that suffers from swirling emotions, of displaying too much vulnerability and questioning to a degree that is doomed to fail. Thankfully the guitars are loud in a climate that suggests there is a future.

In contrast “Don’t Call Home” is an accusatory and fantastic scrapper of a song succinctly recreating attitude and menace. Kim sings like it is a threat before the sound of a squealing guitar akin to scraping up against glass makes a positive abortion out of proceedings.

“Safari” is “Safari”, a classic song with invigorating vocals that come served with lashings of pay off and the kind of bassline that could steer any song towards greatness. With a surprising amount of whimsy in tow this is a song that actually makes me feel young, reminding of happy moments and the lightness of being young. By the time it arrives at its whispered break all things around me in surround are beginning to appear that much more brighter with perspective and a renewed enthusiasm for the climate and atmosphere. There is genuine magic within this track, the construct of an act nailing their ambition and achieving everything.

Things close off with “So Sad About Us” sounding like Belly and more college rock than ever (my own definition of college rock being a grunge lite song that was fit enough to appear in a Nickelodeon show or My So Called Life at the beginning of the 90s). It is actually a cover of a song by The Who and as ever the more staid writing of a band from a different era comes clambering through to mixed returns.

Exceptional performance.

Thesaurus moment: brisk.

The Breeders
4AD

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