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Army of Me:
Fake Ugly (EP)
We sing songs to stay alive. So opens Fake Ugly, a six-song EP from D.C.s Army of Me. Its a simple, but sweet sentiment. And thats how you could sum up this charming little record. It wins you over, even when you dont want it to. Fake Ugly is not a record meant to change the face of music, or at least it doesnt appear that way. It owes quite a debt to Weezer, also employing elements of Grace-era Jeff Buckley and Bright Eyes-style emo. There isnt much here structurally speaking that will surprise the record collectors of the world. In fact, when the first song, Breathe, moves from its acoustic intro into its rock body-proper, its hard not to think how many times youve heard that chord progression before. Fake Ugly succeeds, rather, in small ways: unexpected little guitar riffs inserted in just the right places, instantly hummable choruses, and the solid and sufficiently unique voice of the groups lead singer, which ranges from a fairly straightforward Rivers Cuomo lightness to a more interesting Buckley-esque jazziness. Truly wrapping himself around his words, he uses his instrument to its fullest potential on songs like Frozen, where the warmth of his tone invites you in the way an old friend would. It doesnt hurt that the band working behind him is so competent. When the bass comes through in the mix, especially in Be By, its slinky, active lines impress, and the drummers steady work is always appropriate to the context, never getting in the way nor dragging things down. And while the guitar-playing fails to breaks any new ground, short but shimmering reverb-soaked passages and the occasional unusual break do grab your attention. Also, much of the recording itself is startlingly beautiful. The vocals are captured exceptionally well, and the whole album has a crisp, punchy feel. But Army of Me doesnt get off scot-free. Lyrically, the album is hit or miss. Rain Stained Melodies has some surprisingly penetrating lines, including its chorus of Kiss me one last time / To the sounds of time running out. But such moments are outweighed by an abundance of more trite declarations, such as Angel you captivate my mind / Say that youll be with me till the end of time / You could be a flashlight in my night. Additionally, too many of the songs use techniques lifted right out of the Weezer songbook, including a stop-start moment in the first tune that has the re-entry bash riff panned so hard right that it only comes out of one speaker an overused trick that seems out of place at best. Worse, the album lacks the quirky and capricious character of the best Weezer songs, feeling at times a little too familiar. Nevertheless, Fake Ugly is a promising first statement from a still-young band. Army of Mes sincerity and willingness to exhibit an unguarded tenderness gets under your skin and makes you want to fall in love, even if just for a moment.
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