The Kickdrums
(self-released)
The Kickdrums’ EP Just a Game arrives hot on the heels of
their rock debut, Detached. Alex “Fitty” Fitts is the duo’s
utility infielder, playing and singing most of the disc, and he’s made
huge progress as a singer and songwriter. On “Personal Calamity,” he’s
a self-conscious songsmith: “Pardon me, but I’m just bored to
tears/Trying to ignore/The ringing in my ears/We’ll show the world/At
least we’re gonna try.” He’s no longer just singing about being a rock
star; he’s showing he’s qualified for the job. The consistently
midtempo record is sprinkled with popping and crackling soul samples.
Somewhat disappointingly, there’s nothing here like the dance-floor
standout “Love Is a Drug” from Detached, but the EP is still
sticky enough that you won’t notice. — D.X.
Ferris
My Sky Tomorrow
(self-released)
Yesterday’s Pain is a divided and uncertain effort, stuck
somewhere between the ’80s and the ’00s. At times sounding like a cross
between Aerosmith and GNR, My Sky Tomorrow also brings in elements of
contemporary melodic pop-rock, with Coldplay keys and a bit of Jack
Johnson/Dave Matthews frat mellowness. Oddly, album opener “All I Got
to Do” kicks off with a circuitously prog-ish keyboard line, getting
heads nodding trying to keep up. Unfortunately, it quickly unravels
into reductive riffing and grunge worship. Ivory man Wes Kerns doesn’t
get control again until “Standing,” a tune whose chorus inexplicably
recalls “Mr. Bojangles.” “Different View” returns to a guitar-driven
sound, with Kerns piano-plinking a John Cale/Stooges reference. If they
would have let their rhythm section drive the beat, freeing up Kerns to
guide the band’s melodic thrust, Yesterday’s Pain might have
been pain-free. — Nicholas Hall
This article appears in Apr 8-14, 2009.
