|
by
SeepeopleS
return to www.seepeoples.com
Amplifier Magazine, May 2007 Review: Apocalypse Cow Vol. IEven after listening to the Seepeoples' entire album multiple times, you won't be any closer to knowing what an Apocalypse Cow is than you are now. And while it's safe to assume that an Apocalypse Cow isn't a good thing (nothing with apocalypse in its name ever is), the band could at least drop some clues. The confusion isn't just related to the title. Throughout, the album's lack of focus leaves it wanting, but the mash of pop and rambling stream of consciousness does generate some high points. The opening triptych of songs is ambitiously engaging. "Don't Panic"'s opening plea, "Please don't panic/As the world ends this afternoon/For no good reason," gently stresses singer/songwriter Will Bradford's vocal range almost to its breaking point. The title track's toy piano intro recalls "Pop Goes the World" then gets more serious with a blend of guitars, odd instrumentation, and semi-electronic percussion. The unusual juxtaposition pays off -- so much so that when Bradford finally croons, "I feel like the Apocalypse Cow/I'll sacrifice myself right here and now," you almost understand what he's trying to say. Almost. The mellow, tortured pop of "Last Sane Man," and its admission that, "I just might be the last sane man on planet earth/'Cause it all seems to make great sense to me," shows that the Allston, MA, band can craft an effective ballad when it tries. Sadly, it's pretty much downhill from there as the pop sensibilities fade and the moody introspection takes over. The scratchy, nonsensical interludes (an annoying pair of conversations between a cartoonish father and son) only serve to further halt the flow. By Sander Wolf |
Apocalypse Cow Vol. I