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Murdocks:
Surrenderender
Murdocks may have a slight identity crisis on their hands. This Austin, Texas based trio is a little all over the map on its debut full-length, Surrenderender. The band kicks off this 12-track disc with a catchy, melodic, indie rock sort of tune thats primed for play on The O.C. But the very next number, Horsegore, is a full-on neo-harcdcore attack-fest, with lead singer/guitarist, Frankiln Morris, convincingly screaming his head off as metallic clangs fire from his fingers. Track three, one of the albums strongest, is another melodic rock tune, though theres a bit more gravitas to its atmosphere and lyrical content than featured on the first number. But track four, Bloody Murder suddenly veers off into Strokes meets Sum 41 land, recalling the former with its fuzzed-out vocals and the latter with its candy-punk sheen and hyperactive speed. The albums low point comes in the form of the disappointing three-song run that follows wherein we find the singer moving into whiny, constipated vocal territory. Morris has a very emotive voice thats capable of so much more than the artificial, shrill modern rock shriek he goes for on these numbers. Da Da is the worst offender here, with Morris repeating that meaningless phrase over and over at ever-increasing levels of volume and harshness. Lyrically and musically the songs all feel empty, leaving Morris in a sort of boy-that-cried-wolf position, bleating away for no apparent reason. Luckily, track eight finds the band once again exploring new sonic ground. A completely unexpected bluesy dirge with almost folksy moments (thanks to the electric guitar being used more like an acoustic through the verses), My Scarlet Purpose represents the emotional depths Murdocks, and specifically Morris, can reach when the lyrics have something to say and the band moves off the beaten path. Track nine is essentially a heavier version of track four, but track ten rocks more like the White Stripes, with a truly stripped-down arrangement, pounding drums, and one of Morriss best screaming-more-than-singing vocals. Before you know it, though, were onto the albums last official tune (the next number is a hidden track), and it really surprises. Morris, accompanied only by acoustic guitar, is once again an entirely different singer, using an urgent, impassioned folk singers brio to tell the story of a wistful, beautiful girl murdered by her own father. The narrator, having come across her once and now happening upon her grave, regrets he had not been around to help her, saying little girl in this whole damn world / you're the only one I wish was saved. Easter Moon may be the highlight of the disc, as its penetrating lyrics and Morriss mature performance are effective and affecting. While ultimately an uneven affair, sometimes lowering its standards to commercialized mediocrity, Surrenderender has several powerful moments and certainly introduces Franklin Morris as a promising young talent. Murdocks has some work to do in terms of figuring out what exactly it wants to achieve, but if the band ends up traveling its own road, we wont be waiting long before Morris & Co. are making truly stunning music.
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