Umm ... Drop

Sobriquets

By Doug Wallen
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Apr. 23, 2008

Photo by Michael Persico

The stylistic tug-of-war throughout the Sobriquets' songs is typical of young bands. And James Hearne and Dan Drago remain undecided on where their music will rest when the dust settles, despite last fall's addition of upright bassist Josh Neale.

Diversity isn't a bad thing, of course. If anything, the Sobriquets' stubborn pairing of ruffled folk and bedroom beats signifies they're staying true to the influences cited in their bio: Wilco, Portishead and Soul Coughing. And on the band's new self-titled and self-released album, you can hear equally the phantoms of loose-strung Americana, dewy trip-hop and an eccentric coffeehouse hybrid of the two.

Hearne and Drago both sling guitars and sing, adopting random instruments--often a lulling keyboard--when the mood strikes. They were aided on the percussion tip by Swimmers drummer Scott French, aka Whorse, who mixed the album. French gives the guys a bigger sound than they're likely to have live, but regardless of how fleshed out things become, the vocals are mixed high enough to remain the focus.

Album opener "Jaked" fixates on all things crooked and slanted, from cigarettes and sunlight to an ex-lover and her iffy smile. "This Old Town" spells weary surrender, culminating over burping beats with the plea, "Sing me to sleep," and the accordion-kicked "Slided" skips ahead with jittery inertia. All the while there's a different combination of sounds on what feels like every song.

The Sobriquets have mostly been lurking in venues that favor acoustic acts--the Fire, Bryn Mawr's Milkboy Coffee and Phoenixville's Steel City--but their novel approach to trusty singer/songwriter-isms may just see them breaking into new circles, especially if their diverse album begins seeping into the 'XPN groundwater.

Fri., April 25, 7pm. $7. With Feathertops + Tire Fires. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave. 267.671.9298. www.iourecords.com

Add to favoritesAdd to Favorites PrintPrint Send to friendSend to Friend

COMMENTS

ADD COMMENT

Rate:
(HTML and URLs prohibited)
User Guidelines