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Lejeune:
Self-Titled
From beginning to end, the self-titled debut album from DCs polished quartet Lejeune draws you in with the hypnotic voice of lead singer, Sam Bishop. The cheerful nature of the album combines Bishops domineering vocals with melodic guitars and crisp drums. The album is definitely a welcome break from the sad puppy feel of todays indie popsters, but, when it comes to creativity and variety, it is plagued by a feeling of sameness from track to track. The album sets its tone by opening with Kubasaki Hai. Its a piece filled with layers of sultry guitars and throbbing bass, giving their music a depth that resonates. The song presents an oddly familiar feeling and evokes images of west coast surfers and crimson sunsets. On its own, it pulls you in with the promise of something more. But this is where the album fails to deliver. It is clear that Lejeune is attempting to experiment with some interesting and somewhat unpredictable composition. New Best Friend opens with a minimalistic combination of pulsing chords against Bishops vocals, while Ninety Seconds plays with an atmospheric humming that builds to a melodic ballad. In its moments, this variety feels like glimpses into the heart of Lejeune, but then, without fail, each piece reverts to the original guitar and vocal styles seen with the albums opening. And once again, the listener is swimming in images of those raucous California surfers. Another of the albums shortcomings is that the transitions rarely move smoothly or add to the grandeur of the piece. This simply comes across as the style that they find the most comfortable. Their moments of experimentation only tease the listener into believing that there will be something better; only to leave him imagining where the song could have gone. Lejeune seems to be made up of some very talented musicians, and the more I listen, the more I wish they would make the move to release the safety net and explore their creativity.
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