Album Review: Terry Malts

Artist: Terry Malts

Album: Killing Time

Label: Slumberland Records

Release Date: 2.21.12

Rating: 4.2

After listening to the album for the full 33 minutes and 30 seconds a few times, I wholly teleported into the stark studio (or garage?) in which the album was likely recorded. Between the recoding dropping the sonic highs and lows and Phil Benson's monotone singing, it frames the album perfectly: middling, not impressive, not terrible. It is what you expect from power pop: speed playing, catchy lyrics, distorted guitar, and simple drumming. But none of these elements combined to create stand out moments.

In some songs, their roots show through. "No Good For You" sounds like a beach song. Interestingly, it's "I'm Neurotic" that samples a transmogrified clip of the Beach Boys' "California Girls". "Where Is The Weekend" is the standard ode to hating your job and being a weekend warrior. This was the only song that resonated, making me want to jump up and down screaming that I like weekends too. But it also felt like preaching to the choir.

That's not to say it's the worst album of the year; far from it. But it didn't hold me any longer than its half an hour run time.

We Were Promised Jetpacks 11.13.11 Wonder Ballroom PDX

New writer Amanda goes to see We Were Promised Jetpacks and files this report:

We've been promised a lot in music. Promises from various artists that will save our soul, rock our world, or even dance our asses off. The covenants are often broken. This show promised to give you and hour of a lead singer immersing you in Scottish accent and sorrow backed by guitars. If you left diappointed, you are an asshole.

We Were Promised Jetpacks sublimate their broken relationships into sad songs reminiscent of your last failed relationship of want and desire. While most of the audience seemed more familiar with their first album, their new songs bathed me in Scottish Gaelic glory. Am I fixated on lead singer Adam Thompson's accent? Yes, some may even call it obsessed. Go ahead, I dare you to listen to their songs and not want more or 'accidentally' put them on repeat.