The Breeders, Colour Revolt
Monday, May 5
Emos (603 Red River St)
$17.50, Doors at 9pm
[info] | [tickets]

There has been a good amount of buzz swirling around these guys for the past year or two in anticipation of this, their debut full length. Their self-titled EP had many people in a frenzy and left them with very high expectations, expectations that were probably a little unrealistic. Because next to those six very passionate and strong tracks from the EP, the music from Plunder, Beg, And Curse just doesn’t deliver. Sure the songs herein are good, solid indie rock songs, but they’re missing much of the fire from the earlier music.

The passionate rises and falls which are represented with vibrant color on the EP are just not there on Plunder. “Blood In Your Mouth,” off the EP, begins with a slow and shaky voice that outstretches as the song moves along with drum beats that quicken and a screeching harmonica. Then, after the calm eye of the song, the music hits back with some dissonant guitar noise and throat-raking screaming that strangely doesn’t seem overdone at all, but instead is exactly what the song needed. Unfortunately, this song’s equivalent is a little more hard to find on the full length.

They did a great job making the cover art and the album title appealing and intriguing. They imply a little more of a rollicking, bustling record than what is delivered. Outside the disc, a creatively deformed humanoid-looking creature appears to be waving off three other creatures buzzing around it’s head, while within guitar strings hum and buzz while the vocals drift along smoky and clean. Occasionally on songs like “Naked and Red” the group gets worked up to a fit and a squeal. It’s a song about religion, and Eden in particular, which is good justification for the passion, the screams, the guitar shrieks, and the hell being played on those symbols. There’s even an abrupt timing change toward the beginning of the track to make sure everyone’s paying attention. But by “Elegant View,” the third track, things have slowed down and settled considerably. The beginning of the track sounds like something out of the Iron & Wine catalog with a breathy, personal tint to the vocals and haunting music. And, before you know it, you’re in the middle of a distorted and clouded experiment. After that, the album simmers but never really comes to a boil. There are, however, touches of twinkle and sounds like being adrift in space that make the music quite welcome.

As much as this record seems a downturn from the energy and infectiousness of the previous record, it’s still fathoms farther along than your average intense rock group. Colour Revolt are going to be at Emo’s on Monday, May 5th opening for The Breeders, so you’ll have a chance to make up your own mind about their brand new material. The Breeders are touring in support of their fourth album, Mountain Battles, released in April. This is the first release for Kim and Kelley Deal and company since 2002, and it’s a tad more artfully slower than the memories of their older work. But don’t worry, odds are in your favor they’ll play “Cannonball” for everyone craving that nineties alternative fix.

Colour Revolt Official
Colour Revolt MySpace
The Breeders Official
The Breeders MySpace