Every couple of months I go through what my friends lovingly
call a “twee midlife crisis.” I listen to one too many Tullycraft songs or
suddenly find the dulcet tones of the glockenspiel unbearable. During these
spells, the only cure is a few hours of Joy Division and some pronounced
sulking. And yet, the irresistible jangle always lures me back. In the immortal
words of R. Kelly: “My mind’s telling me no, but my body’s telling me yes.”
That’s twee for me.
Pants Yell’s newest (and final) album,
Received
Pronunciation, encapsulates the siren-like influence that indie pop has
over me. The vibrant guitars, the charming lyrics, the sugary sweet pessimism: it’s
all there. Pants Yell has always been the more understated, precise bands of
the pop scene, and they’ve made a name for themselves by crafting intricate,
witty pop gems that feel like eloquent inside jokes. From the tentative opening
notes of “Frank and Sandy” to the upbeat apology of “To Take,” lead singer and
guitarist, Andrew Churchman, proves that the band is able to expand their sound
while maintaining the modest sensibilities that have made them
mixtape staples.
First single, “Cold Hands,” displays slightly crunchier
guitars than expected and lyrics dripping with wisdom that only hindsight can
provide. “I was young, I was selfish, I was in love, but now I’m over it,”
Churchman sings with cheerful spite. On their first album,
Songs for Sibling,
the band embraced the roles of lovable losers, but
Received Pronunciation
shows them at a new advantage, where they’ve grown up but still have the
childish vindictiveness that adults always fall back on. On the
hostile-yet-sunny track, “Got to Stop,” Churchman calls out a guy for being an
“asshole,” and in the twee world, that’s as close as you’re ever going to get
to a
Maury-like smackdown.
Although the claws do come out on this album, they
are
still Pants Yell, after all. Amidst the slew of passive aggressive quips and snide
comments, there remains upbeat melodies and hyper-articulate hooks. It’s
everything a pop album should be, but with just the right amount of snark to
keep it from OD-ing on its own cuteness. So when the time comes for my
regularly scheduled twee meltdown, I know I can count on Pants Yell to get me
through my inevitable withdrawals.
11/16/2009 03:54:06 ♥ kateg (
)
♥ myspace.com/pantsyellmusic
♥ slumberlandrecords.com