Amongst the rubble of my past life, there’s few bands I tried to hold onto despite them being out of the public eye. Most of them were during my time in NYC and are either completely different from when I heard them then or have stopped making music altogether. Some I’ve stayed in contact with, others have slipped through the cracks. Somewhere in the rubble, I got a hold of a record I really liked, this little minimal EP from Electricians. I can still sing a couple of the songs, even. I was awaiting a bigger, longer, more produced LP; something that brought their sound more definition and weight. I’m here to admit I was mistaken. You don’t need the production help, Electricians. A full LP of what you have is just fine.
Running begins and ends at the peak of their talent level. At no time are they overshooting or adding filler to give their songs added beef. In fact, the first sounds you hear on the album’s opener, “Actuator” are filler before they break into straightforward rock-and-roll riff as if to beckon the idea of largeness and shun it. The song is under two minutes, a perfect introduction to Running. The more staid and lyrically-driven “Sorry About the Snow” follows suit. A three-minute jam that vacillates between low-boil and full-out yelling (”Wooooooooah, the winter’s not that cold.”), it sets up for the meat of the album.
Continue reading ‘Electricians: Running’
The Stranded EP is a 10-minute exploration of simplicity. Though the listener could decide to write Electricians off as sad-sackery or, even worse, dismiss the non-polished sound as demo-tape or second-rate, but Electricians have put together a worthy set of songs. Let’s start with what this EP is, though, before we jump into what it isn’t. It’s tight. It’s well-constructed. It’s purposeful nonchalance and that is the staple of their mood.
Their ambiance is the ambivalence to normal constraints. Consider the lyrics and the effortless effrontery of “Sometimes:” I thought I knew the answer/ and I thought the answer was me. Later: “If you want to be so different/ I won’t stand in your way.” Or in the equally intriguing Cemetery Talk: “You’re exactly what I wanted avoid.” Or, in the defining and opening “Stranded,” My heart is just another song/ for you to pass your judgement on…” “That’s alright with me./ I knew I’d be stranded with nowhere to be.” It’s easier to talk about their influences here, but it’s more gratifying to notice the subtle grandeur. Over easygoing rambles, like awkward gaits of those newly confident for all the right reasons, they deliver fantastic lyrics. They meet unfounded expectations. Most of all, they deliver more than most bands with twice the production.
Not to say the production isn’t an issue. The splashy cymbals and loud, jangly guitars (most overdone in closer “Adieu, Adieu”) would get annoying if not for the brevity of Stranded. However, analyzing a startup band for not having terrific production does not interest me. I’d rather analyze the potential of an up-and-comer than nitpick their tinniness.
And the potential is high: the songwriting is there, and the production will come. In an era of manic loudness or fly-by-night trendiness, a solid indy-pop band is always welcome. Especially one that gives their EP away. Aggressiveness may not be their strong point in the music, but they certainly seem aggressive about getting their music to the world. Not bad for exploring the seemingly mundane? Nah, to hell with all that. It’s just good.
Brooklyn’s Electricians have a good thing going. Not sure if they know it, but this EP is good on the first run-through and beyond (and free). Its brevity (a little over 10 minutes of your time) does not take away form their overall ethos and I am looking forward to hearing this repeatedly. Download the album, see them live (check here for dates) and prepare for their subtlety to surprise you.
There influences are on their sleeve, listeners, and it is a good thing. I’m pretty happy they found us and vice-versa. Expect my review in the next couple of days since it is so short.