This is the second post in our New Music Friday series, where I offer up a few thoughts on one of my recent regular Friday music purchases. It should be noted that even though I’ll post these on Fridays, I’ll be writing about music I bought the week before… gotta give it at least a week to marinate in the old noggin before my opinions are formulated and in showroom condition. Plus I believe virtually everything I hear or read, so if I think I like something and then I find out that other people hate it, I have to give myself room to backpedal.
This week’s entry is Pershing, the latest album from the band Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. I first heard about this band from a friend’s coworker who described them as “a lo-fi version of Weezer.” I never thought about giving it a try until I read this post over at The 405 and listened to the sample track. And another NMF dawned over Smitchington.
First, let’s talk about the name, fellas: it’s terrible. I don’t really care all that much about band names (except when they’re so obtrusive that you can’t even envision yourself saying it with a straight face: “The new Fuck Buttons album is incredibly sophisticated”), but I think it’s funny to consider the thought process that goes into it. These guys clearly were shooting for something bordering on the ridiculous (a la Death Cab), but something tells me this one doesn’t quite have the distance…
And after a couple weeks of owning this and more than a few listens, I can say pretty definitively that this band does not remind me of a lo-fi version of Weezer. To me, it’s more like the band Phoenix fired its lead singer and replaced him with a hybrid between the front men for the Shins and the Silversun Pickups. The songwriting is reminiscent of Bishop Allen or Beulah –- catchy (though sometimes annoying) songs lacking any real substance. It’s spic-and-span indie pop — good for a listen every once in a while, and not a whole lot more.
There is one clear stand-out track –- it’s the same one that sparked my interest to begin with, but it’s good enough to post it again here. And I’ll give ya one more, just for the effort.
“Modern Mystery” by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
“Some Constellation” by Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Both tracks from Pershing.
Bishop Allen is exactly who I thought of when clicked on the ol’ magical gray listen box. This “Some Consteallation” track makes me think these guys are willing to go a little more glossed-over, Michael-Jackson-goes-indie-rock than Bishop Allen, though. Juuust a bit sugary for my taste. Catchy though, for sure.
You gotta check out Broom