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Esquimaux:
Perfecto!
The blending of bass-heavy American screamo influences and infectiously sweet pop is a hazardous gamble. At one point or another in every song, some element will be swallowed or obscured by sheer force of noise, delicacy and instrumentation. But if the gamble works, then the result is a sort of softened anger – a pretty voice singing against electronic steadiness. The effect of this, as evidenced on Esquimaux’s first full-length release, is rather like hearing an angry and confused woman softly explaining her concerns – with a band behind her amplifying the feeling in her words. Esquimaux is a previously mid-Atlantic trio now based in Los Angeles. Each member brings musical education and experience to their first record, Perfecto!, and as a first full-length outing, it’s a moderate success. The songs are enigmatic and incomprehensible most of the time (witness lines like “islands of oak are all that we have left to choke on / we better swallow them whole”), but the reliable themes of love lost, arguments, and self-doubt are clear. Heather Brown on lead vocals sings very much in the style of Azure Ray, as though her voice can’t quite break some glass ceiling. The warmth of tone and her ability to handle the tricky lyrics of the songs offsets the fact that her voice can pall by the end of the album – it’s so soft, and works from such a small range of octaves that it gets a bit tiring. Graham Dodge on drums (and I’m assuming, the electronic effects) and James Sajor on guitar achieve a fresh and full sound for just two members. One of the delights of Perfecto! is seeing where a song will go musically. While Ms. Brown’s voice carries the lyrics in much the same tone over all thirteen tracks, the underlay of sound constantly shifts, occasionally erupting in a more punk-heavy moment, into a few electronic flourishes, and then settling into a warm and solid bass line in nearly infinite patterns. This album seems meant to be experienced as a whole. In its entirety, the effect is certainly a bit amateur, but the inventive melodies go a long way toward solid growth. Ms. Brown’s voice is occasionally lost in the arrangements, but there is a sense throughout the album of using the band to amplify the feeling in her lyrics, which works very well. Blonde Redhead employs this same technique. Listening to Perfecto! is like listening to your girlfriend chatter about her feelings and some old arguments – and watching her eyes and body language give away what she is really attempting to say. The lyrics and voice of Esquimaux may seem simple, but listening to the guitar and effects reveals more of the emotive temperature of the work. This is a solid first outing from a growing band, so check it out. Pay special attention to “My Father,” Viewfinder,” and “Honey & Dear,” with Gary Jules.
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