1090 Club recently released their second LP Natural Selection digitally (via eMusic, iTuens, Amazon, AimStreet, ect.). While it might be easy to miss a release like this, you’d be foolish skip over one of the best albums of 2008.
I adore 1090 Club’s sound. They get such a big sound out of a 4-piece (keys, drums, guitar, and violin) in part due to the fact that all members sing. And on Natural Selection, the band’s sound gets even fuller. Some of this has to be attributed to Steve Fisk’s production on the album. The most noticeable thing is how reverb heavy songs are, especially in comparison to the band’s past work. While it’s not bordering on Arthur & Yu territory, it is very noticeable, and for the most part welcome. It adds to the band’s vocal harmony, arguably the band’s biggest strength. They may be the best band I know at trading harmonic vocal lines, and use this to full effect on the exquisite “Off My Mind.”
I really appreciate how this album has a distinct sound. It sounds like a cohesive album instead of merely a collection of songs that the band happened to write when they went in to record. This is especially delightful since the sound on the record is noticeably darker than the band’s previous efforts. The mood comes from a combination of the lyrical work, more dissonant musical arrangements, and little things, like whispered vocals. It really shines (or rather dims) through on songs like “Things Inside.” And I’ll be honest, I’m a sucker for darker music.
Another thing that I love about this record is the way that the songs seem to have a pulse that forces the listener’s ear forward. On some tracks it’s a slow clear pounding (“Earworm”). On others, like “Happiness,” it is in the form of ridiculously quick and frenetic hand clapping that helps the song build. One constant is the terrific work turned in by drummer/vocalilst Steve Serfazo. It easy to overlook and forget the drumming with so much going on musically, but Serfazo’s work lays down the much needed palate that the rest of the band uses to create the full sound.
1090 Club experiments a bit more on Natural Selection, but they don’t exactly suceed on the tracks where they do. For example, “Conversations” features violinist/vocalist Megan Dibble’s first lead vocal song for the band. It also features electric drums and a heavy synth line, both of which are really new territory for the group. While Dibble’s vocals come off very tender and soft, the song never really gets its feet under it, and without balance it becomes one of the slip ups on the album.
The seventh track, “Claire,” also doesn’t work for me. The verses are delivered in a pseudo-spoken word style, but unlike, say The Hold Steady, they aren’t delivered with a passion or flair. Because of this, when the lyrical lines don’t match up words become rushed and lack flow. While I understand that the band is trying to experiment with other sounds, sometimes if they don’t work they’d be best left on the cutting room floor, especially when they detract from vocal harmonies.
The last three songs also come off a bit unexciting, and at times a bit flat, compared to the rest of the disc. They’re solid songs, but nothing really wows in the way that other 1090 Club material does. The exception is the staccato violin part on “Do,” which is very sonically interesting.
Despite a somewhat uninspiring finish, Natural Selection is still a terrific listen. While the album doesn’t quite rise to the level of the band’s previous effort, Shipwrecked On Shores, 1090 Club is one of the more interesting bands out there today and Natural Selection is defiantly worth your time. Check it out.
Review Score: 7.5
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