Scrabbel
"1909" CD
Three Ring Records
Genres: indie pop
Three Ring
PO Box 883123
San Francisco CA
94188
Nov 8 -
14 2005 |
Up until 2002 the cryptically named Scrabbel
were a twee pop duo of Dan Lee and Becky Barron.
Following an acclaimed debut album on Kittridge, Barron left,
leaving the band solely in the hands of Lee. After a stint with
the Aislers Set, Lee returned to recording music and
created 1909 with the help of a bunch of friends. This is a
surprisingly diverse and deep record, featuring varied instruments
like cello, violin, trumpet, clarinet, and organ in addition to
traditional pop band standards. Though mellow and lush, 1909 can't really be given the twee tag as it's more grandiose and complex
than is typically expected from the genre. The covers of +/-
(ex-Versus) and Kinks songs are a nice indicator of
Scrabbel's style, which combines an indie mentality with a basic
pop sensibility. The lovely "Sena Song"
starts off the record in a very good vein; the album is kept entertaining
(though sometimes a bit passive) via solid pop tunes like "Last Train"
and the terrific "Not Right." Occasionally Scrabbel
opts for a bit of experimentation, as evidenced in instrumental "Save
the Green Planet" and finale "Riot Series," which starts off with electronic
bleeps before moving into original pop territory. The clarinet and
cello of "All The Things We Have" also make for a unique and
thoroughly enjoyable touch. Also worthy of note is the hidden track,
titled "Melody For Melanie" (as seen on Kittridge's Homemade Hits
Vol 2 comp.)
As far as sweet and mellow indie pop music goes,
1909 is top of the line. Grab it.
86%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
11 tracks, distributed by
the label, released 2005] |
