Going for Baroque: Figurines
After two records which drew favorable comparisons to indie rock royalty like Pavement, Built to Spill, and Modest Mouse, record three from [Figurines] presented itself as the perfect opportunity to mix things up a touch. Besides, record number two, last years catchy-as-hell Skeleton, had helped score the band slots opening for bands like Tapes n' Tapes, and other members of the genres ruling class.
So the band did what any self-respecting group of buzz about Danish indie would do in a similar situationthey opted to become Brian Wilson, only without all of the, you know, heavily publicized psychosis. This fact becomes all too obvious by When the Deer Wore Blues second track, The Air We Breathe, an exercise in whirling falsetto thats far too sprawling to be confined in its three minute and 49 second package, in its own way the definition of Wilsons much-loved pocket symphonies.
Of course, lets not get ahead of ourselves here. When youve been weaned on the defining anthems of the slacker generation, it becomes important not too appear to be funneling too much effort into your work, and as such, even When the Deer Wore Blues most epic moments are filtered through the dont-give-a-fuck posterings of Stephen Malkmus and Issac Brock, so, while Drunkard Dream is far and away the albums longest track, at seven and a half minutes, its also one of the records most musical indifferent.
The Danish quartet, so intent on delivering the indie-pop good on Skeleton, seem determined not to break a seat in pursuit of epic pop orchestration. Perhaps all of that time spent hanging out with American musical hipsters has rubbed off on the group. Whatever the reason, one things for sure: the bands love for American indie-pop runs deep. Its something that wont be contained by even the most sprawling moments of baroque pop. And its certainly something the band wont be able to hide onstage at the Mercury Lounge tonight.
Tonight at Mercury Lounge, 7:30, $12. (with Dappled Cities)