I've Dreamt Too Superly: Reviews Of Recent Releases By Local Bands, Pt. 41

Obligatory Disclaimer: Record reviews are a tricky business. It's one thing to enjoy music, but to, like, pick out what you like about it? That being said, if I review your thing and I didn't like something, don't feel too bad. My opinion doesn't matter all that much. 

Comrade Question - Pepe Polo - Superdreamer Records - 10 songs - LP, download

Based on the name of the artist (decent enough), the name of the record (not great), and the cover (frankly, just bad), I really had no idea what to expect. Maybe some kind of indie psych thing? But no, this is not that. For the most part, the songs on here are very poppy indie rock. The first three songs on Side A--those being the actually very catchy pseudo-psurf of "Bastard," the garage pop of "Song About A Woman," and the garage-but-recorded-like-any-indie-band of "Old"-- I enjoyed, but the record kinda lost it for me after that. As for what's on Side B, I like "The Way That You Are," which is an uptempo number, "Wine" sounds like it could be in a commercial for some restaurant (I don't know what restaurant I'm thinking of, I don't watch much TV anymore and so I see less commercials, but I know it's reminding me of something), "Ah Ah Ah" was probably only disappointing to me because it isn't as good as Heavenly Queen's "Uh Uh Uh," but to be fair, few songs are, and the closing track "Stop Dying So Much," which had a garage stomp beat but was again just too indie for me. I think maybe this record's biggest issue is the production, because I liked it more the second listen through when I was focusing more on the songs. Maybe if I kept listening to it again and again, it would grow on me more, but to be honest, I didn't particularly feel like listening to it again. It is what it is, or is it. Is it? It is? 3.2/5

(superdreamerrecords.com for the record, comradequestion.bandcamp.com to download)

Nervosas - Utility - Superdreamer Records - 3 songs - 7"

I thought about saying that Nervosas are a band that I respect for what they are and like certain songs of, but have never really grabbed me altogether, but then I considered that I actually haven't processed enough of their work to say that and so decided to not say it. But then I said it here anyways. "Utility" is either post-punk or very reverb-heavy punk; I'm never quite sure where to make that distinction. It's pretty much what you'd expect from the group if you've been following them so far. Jeffrey "The Jeff" Kleinman seems to have done some work on eradicating the faux-British (or maybe Robert Pollard) accent he was doing, which I appreciate. The song as a whole doesn't really grab me, but bigger fans than I will probably dig it. Side B has two covers, which is never a wise choice when the covers you're doing are better than your originals. "Teenage Depression," originally by Goners, is a good punk rocker with dual lead vocals. "Kasota," originally by Frozen Teens, is very power pop. I quite like both the songs on this side. It's a shame that they're not by Nervosas so I could say how good Nervosas are. Actually, they're a very capable band, musicianship-wise, but their songs, about 40 to 45 percent of the time, just don't do anything for me. I feel like I should be extra nice here to make up for that one time I was at Ace Of Cups and accidentally ignored The Jeff talking to me because I was in my own little world (I was excited to see Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments), but I don't think he took it personally. Sorry, The Jeff. I guess this record is it for Nervosas, now that Mickey is in Cleveland, Jeff is busy with 20XX, and Nick, I assume, is still doing sound at AoC. I don't know how to end it without saying something that will come off as sarcastic even though I wouldn't mean it to be, so I guess this is it. 3.3/5

(superdreamerrecords.com)

Psychic Wheels - Peripheral Drift - Superdreamer Records - 12 songs - LP, download

Psychic Wheels would, I guess, be the Columbus equivalent of Cleveland's Ma Holos, while not sounding particularly like Ma Holos. Actually, I take that back; they have their moments. Certain bits of this LP reminded me of Great Plains (except without the genius of Ron House…or the amazing drumming of Dave Green…or…okay, so like Great Plains if they weren't great. Like normal Plains, maybe.). Other bits were reminiscent of the fuzz/pop sound of some of the more commercial moments on Nuggets. Songs like "Please, Don't" and "Spinning Records" reminded me of New York's Space Wolves, just to complicate this matter. My favorite tunes here were the Side A closer "(I Need A) Dream," "Always (I Love You)" (now that you're seeing all these parentheses, do you understand the Space Wolves thing?), "Your Anatomy," which is certainly a strange euphemism, and the closing track "Crying Girls." The song "Superdreamer" was either such a good song that someone decided to name a label after it, the band liked the label so much that they decided to do a song about it, two completely separate factions invented the phrase almost simultaneously, or there's a person responsible for both the band and the label. I know that last one is completely ridiculous and impossible; I'm just spitballing here. Anyway (wait, that's a different Columbus label! Now I've confused myself.). Anyway anyway. Overall, however, this record just doesn't grab me. There's some cool songs scattered here and there, but as a whole full-length, it doesn't quite keep its momentum. I guess that's the best way of putting it. Decent enough, though. And there's some weird noises in the runout groove. Don't know if that was intentional, but still cool. 3.6/5

(superdreamerrecords.com or download it at psychicwheels.bandcamp.com)

Psychic Wheels - Deny It - Superdreamer Records - 2 songs - 7"

I heard something about this being the last Psychic Wheels release, which, if true, is a shame, as they had some good stuff. However, this is a darn good swan song. Side A, "Deny It," is a good slow burn fuzzy indie rock tune. The organ playing is cool on this one, and it complements the dual lead vocals nicely. I like that the "guitar solo" parts are more cacophonies of distortion than any kind of melodic lead. It's sorta like how on that Ricky Hamilton solo tape, every guitar lead is just a single note of feedback, except more extreme. The real winner here, however, is the flip side, "Outside Yr Door." Speaking of our boy Ricky, this track was initially available on the Quality Time Records compilation tape (I kinda think of Superdreamer as the Columbus sibling of Quality Time for whatever reason. Sheer quantity of releases, perhaps. Ricky's winning that battle, though.). It's a very catchy uptempo poppy rocker. Good vocal performance and even a real guitar solo, too! I might've put it as Side A if I were the band, but either way it works as a nice counterpoint to the slower groove of "Deny It." Hey, if this is the last we hear of Psychic Wheels, at least it's on a high note. 4/5

(superdreamerrecords.com)

Are you a local-ish band? Do you have a record out? Email vaguelythreatening@gmail.com or send it directly to Observer headquarters: The Lakewood Observer, c/o Buzz Kompier, 14900 Detroit Avenue, Suite 205, Lakewood, OH 44107.

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Volume 13, Issue 3, Posted 2:16 PM, 01.24.2017