![[boy eats drum machine]](http://tunes.bluesummers.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/boyeatsdrummachine.jpg)
Here at the T.C. we have a knack for presenting both sides of the coin whenever we turn our ears to a new release. Our intention isn’t to steer away long-term fans, or dissuade new listeners, but the fact of the matter is that a first listen doesn’t always (and really shouldn’t usually) produce a candied love affair. Those rights are reserved for the chosen few which happen upon our laps, and we don’t often feature something we outright hate, but it happens.
As it stands, my love-hate for Boy Eats Drum Machine is longstanding (as long as their public career, anyway). I have utmost respect for Jonny Ragel’s ability to bring together so many musicians and make such stellar mixes (filled with horns, flautery, synth, and the likes). His natural talent for that sort of thing is far above the dj-fold, and after a listening session with Two Ghosts I’ve once again been schooled by how a song can be so densely stacked in its 180 degrees of stereo, with baroque & beats. The flipside (the disappointment) just happens to be anytime Ragel sings, which is like.. every song.
For starters, “3000 Flares” begins as any proper dj mix should, with breaks, vocal spins and other sorts of aural flair, but right on that 20 second mark is where Ragel chimes in, and oh the horror… what am I listening to, the Counting Crows? At least Ragel’s voice will carry more weight, somehow just by being graced with all these layers of sound, but the catch-line of the song, “turning Heaven into Hell” is really base, man. This is, sadly, how the rest of the album will unfold.
Moving onto track 3, “Into the Open Spaces of the West,” the album makes one of its only appeals for redemption. With strings like spaghetti of the West, it a sort of modernized Cash-appeal. If you close your eyes you might even feel the sunset.
Track 6, “Tie Them to the Trees” picks up where Drums Not Dead left off when the Liars also met up with Adam Duritz in some bizarro-dimension. Sadly shortlived, but pretty decent.
“Rebuttal 1″ is some sort of rap-rock-inspired piece with gradeschool poetry:
- “This is not a hollow trick, I don’t stick into your clique,
I am not responsible, the bounds around your brains are thick,
One good turn deserves another
So I refuse to be defined, by the narrow thoughts inside your mind.”
“Slow Guns” makes a proactive leap and attempts to tackle the issue of the war: on high horses, and American-politik, and oh! here’s the catch line: “All we want is common sense, and you don’t make no sense.” Yeep! I couldn’t go on.
If you really want to, you can sample these and decide yourself.
mp3:
Boy Eats Drum Machine - 3000 Flares
Boy Eats Drum Machine - Into The Open Spaces Of The West
Boy Eats Drum Machine - Rebuttal 1
CDBaby’s got it over here, for your buying needs.
(see also)
Willamette Week feature on Two Ghosts.
The Portland Mercury also outlines a (very) liberal “backstory”.
I honestly find that picture disturbing on a primal level! yikes!!
“Rebuttal 1″ is rap-rock inspired? Have you heard the song you posted? And why the repeated Counting Crows mentions? This band sounds nothing like them, especially not the singer.
Interesting review. You might appreciate the lyrics a little more given the “story” Jonny Ragel is trying to tell with the album. I think it’s fair to say that he was taking a risk on many levels with this album—and that he was fully aware that some of his lyrics and lines would hit a nerve. He explains and even owns up to unease with the use of some of his lyrics in an interview here http://www.willametteweek.com/editorial/3335/9226/ and the story of the album is explained here http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=370370&category=22153
Boy Eats Drum Machine is a force to be reckoned with. I think we will see much more of BEDM in the future and the fans base will grow far beyond Portland. There are many people who love the vocals and the lyrics in addition to the positive things you’ve noted here. BTW, they put on a great live show too.
The Counting Crows mentions are most appropriate to the album’s single “3000 Flares,” and you may be right, the actual physical sound isn’t entirely the same, but the style of intonation (emotionality, flow) has an uncanny resemblance to the era that gave birth to most of Counting Crows’ hits. I was merely drawing inference to one of the touted exemplars of the time period, and really, it was my way of saying that it is wholly immersed in that sort of top-40 pop.
And yes, the delivery of “Rebuttal 1″ is very rap-rock.
Thanks, I had read that WWeek article before posting, but as for the Mercury article: backstory doesn’t always make for palatable media. I appreciate the perspective & that second link though, and I’ll append them both to the article.