The Cincinnati Reds U.K.
"You Take the High Art & I'll Take the Low
Art" CDR
Tokyo
Rose Records
Genres: indie rock, DIY rock, indie pop
Tokyo Rose
4222 Chambers
Cincinnati, OH
45223
May 17 - 23 2004 |
Tokyo Rose Records has done it again. They've put naked people
on the cover of another one of their releases. You Take the High Art & I'll Take the Low
Art is the latest chapter in the nudity trend. But this
time, apparently in response to Fudgie & Fufu's exciting
genitalfest, The
Biography of Libby A. Miller, they've done a
girls-only release. So, if you've got an acute fear of the
female form, you'll want to stay away from this. If, on the
other hand, you're interested in hearing some solid, home-cooked indie rock
from a bunch of Cincinnati gals, this release could make for a fine
venture. The key to The Cincinnati Reds U.K.'s formula is simple -
deep in everyone's heart lies a passion for no-holds-barred indie
rock music. Although their tuning is fa-a-a-ar from perfect, and
their compositions aren't the most varied and melodically excellent ones
out there, you'll find some real gems among You Take the High Art's
twenty songs. The band's most successful moments, like
"But..." and the cover of Calvin Johnson's
"Nothing to Hold Us Here," see them playing more acoustic,
folk-influenced pop - high in melodic content and low in aggressive
raunchiness. Some of the "harder" tracks are also
enjoyable - like the synthy "Duex" - though the band
seems to have a higher success rate when working with a more folk-like
approach ("Watch," "Also") than with a more
abrasive attitude (the boring electro-rock of "Tea," the
hardcore gimmickry of "Normal.")
I would love to listen to a full album of The Cincinnati Reds
U.K.'s mellower material, as that seems to be the best part of You
Take the High Art & I'll Take the Low Art. But as it is,
this disc remains a fine artifact of melodic, female-fronted indie
rock - and is recommended to those who covet such things.
86%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 20 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
