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The Sames:
You Are the Sames
On their debut full-length album, You Are the Sames, Durham, North Carolinas The Sames continue along the same noise-pop path of their 2002 self-titled EP, but use the extra time afforded by a full-length release to venture outside of their comfort zone more frequently. Still present are the noisy and occasionally dissonant, effects-heavy guitar swells and build-ups that are characteristic of influences such as Built to Spill (see album opener Heart Pine); but also sprinkled throughout the album are a few straightforward pop tunes, such as the album closer, Snake, which even incorporates piano and synths into the mix. While the Sames pull off both of the aforementioned styles quite well, perhaps my favorite shade of the Sames music is that which stems from their math rock predecessors. On several tracks throughout the album, the influence of fellow North Carolina Triangle music scenesters, Polvo, is more than pervasive. But rather than directly copying the influential bands archetypal off-kilter rhythms and unconventional style, the Sames borrow only the characteristics of this type of music that work best within their own more accessibly melodic sound. For example, on track three, Bigger Than a God, the Sames stick to straightforward pop rhythms and vocals, but both of the guitars present have some sort of alternate tuning/bent note trick going on that makes the whole production sound like an eerie pop song in which the guitar tracks were recorded on warped tape. The overall effect is somehow refreshingly familiar and original at the same time. They accomplish the same effect in track nine, Butterfly, where the updated Polvo influence is even more persistent, with swirling distorted guitar effects and an almost Eastern feel. The Sames have succeeded in releasing one of the most interesting albums of 2005, and they continue to do their part in showing off the sustaining, yet evolving, talents of the Triangle music scene. The dull moments on this debut album are few and far between.
Check Amazon, Insound and CD Universe to purchase this album.
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