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This one came with a promising press release - apparently the band
scrapped 40 songs they had written for their debut album after their
guitarist and bassist quit midway through the recordings, and they
heard The Cure for the first time. Great, I thought, I'm just
in the mood for some mopey songs about betrayal, with maybe a few
super-poppy moments thrown in a la Robert Smith and co's first
records. Add this to another phrase from the press release describing
Weather's music as "Post-Radiohead rock" and
I was all settled down, blanket wrapped around me and hot cocoa in
hand (which was perchance not the best idea during a California summer
...)
Imagine my surprise when Calling Up My Bad Side recalled absolutely
nothing of the aforementioned bands (or Travis or Sunny
Day Real Estate for that matter - sorry, Cake Records blurb writers).
Instead, most of the songs are what I'd categorize as modern adult
alterna-rock - histrionic vocals over relatively mellow two guitars
/ bass / drums, with some languid piano thrown in for those who like
to be in bed by ten. There are some rawk-out numbers like "The
Bitter End" and "Lie To Me" that make a lot of noise,
but are still a little too sedate to be really abandoned... while
piano-led songs such as "I-80" or "Falling Down"
give singer / pianist Sean Campbell a chance to show his sensitive
side.
All in all, an underwhelming record - the band has the sound of
a tightly-knit unit, though, and can certainly play well. Even if
this record is the aural equivalent of a muggy, grey day, Weather
could still have it in them to produce a cloudburst.
-Gareth Bowles
Track listing:
1. All This Time
2. Calling Up My Bad Side
3. Torn Man Down
4. In My Blood
5. Falling Down
6. Lie to Me
7. The Bitter End
8. Over You
9. Short & Sweet
10. Texas
11. I-80
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