BANDS:

Punk & Ska
80's New Wave/
Post-Punk/
College Bands
90's & Beyond
Virginia, North
Carolina, & DC

Ape House: Tired of Style
[Crof-Tone]

At their best moments, Washington, D.C.s Ape House call to mind the simple, heartfelt pop melodies of indie stalwarts Superchunk (circa 1998) or a tamer version of Apples in Stereo; at their worst moments, Ape House sound like one of a million poppy punk bands that dont push the envelope enough to stand out in a crowd. Its a fine line, and Ape House walks right on it throughout their latest release, Tired of Style.

Dont get me wrong: theres nothing wrong with taking three or four chords and making that oh-so-simple, yet oh-so-elusive, perfect pop song. However, the delivery has to have something extra perhaps a bent note here, a bit of guitar feedback there, carefully placed and endearingly off-key vocals thrown in the mix all adding up to a song that has that certain unexplainable je ne se qua.

This is exactly whats missing on Tired of Style. The album starts off promisingly on Making a Break for It with some fuzzy, muffled guitar chords slowly increasing in tempo and building up to a climax. Then the slightly lackluster vocals enter the picture, and the song settles into a predictable amble that lasts until it is over.

The album has its promising moments, which prove Ape House can do more with their music than what theyve done on this release. Guitars jangle pleasingly on I Got Your Message, and the vocals on Wishing Yourself to Sleep even bring to mind Teenage Fanclub. But perhaps the title of the closing track sums up Ape Houses problem best Im So Perfect. To set themselves apart, Ape House needs to let a note or two go flat, sing with a bit more flair, and take a risk here and there. Their music will thank them for it.

This album can be purchased at the Ape House Official Website

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