Fjord Rowboat
"Saved the Compliments For
Morning" CD
self-released
Genre: shoegazer, indie rock,
rock
June 2008 |
Fjord Rowboat's debut album would feel
right at home on Nettwerk Records. Its dreamy yet charged shoegazer
sound recalls the last Ivy record, some material
on the Words on Music label, and the latest from personal favourite
The Brother Kite. While these guys don't seem to have the melodic
fluency of more established acts, they do know how to charge their
music with a serious amount of energy - this stuff must sound really
great live. And if you
stick with it long enough, the songs really do unfold well - there are
many moments on this disc that will leave committed listeners
breathless.
That said, I find some of these songs a tad generic,
particularly in the vocals (Minus The Bear-esque "Carried
Away," "Shootin' the Breeze"). This could confer an increased chance
at mainstream acceptance - the crisp production and tight
instrumentation assisting the band's accessibility - or,
alternatively, destine Fjord Rowboat to the forgotten annals of
rock homogeneity. Despite the familiar nature of many of the album's
tracks, a solid song like "Can't See The Sun" is always appreciated,
with the band's lush yet dark delivery propelling things forward well.
Meanwhile, other tracks like "Simply Stood" and wonderful,
My Bloody Valentine-esque "Paragon" deserve accolade.
Still, parts of Saved the Compliments For Morning leave
something to be desired - particularly in the somewhat dragging latter
half of the record.
I suppose my main criticism when looking at this
disc is that it sticks too much to one sound - and not one that hasn't been done before. Fjord Rowboat
would benefit from an increase in
variety - both between the songs, and as compared against other bands
of their ilk. While Saved the Compliments is still a cohesive,
melodic, and enjoyable listen, work needs to be done
before the follow-up. Still, for a shoegazey rock album in the
Clairecords and 4AD vein, this is a very solid start for a young band.
78%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 10 tracks,
42:43, distributed by
the band,
released 2007] |