bare pale - if it is
(Self-Released 2012)
"Wallow in your indie-pop induced lethargy."
bare pale's debut EP if it is is a practice of restrained aggression. Sure that term may seem to be an oxymoron, but I couldn't think of a better phrase to describe the band's noise-pop vibe. Although each song trudges along at mid-tempo and has somewhat of a "slacker rock" vibe, they're pushing their way through groaning scuzz and harshly pounded drums in the way one tries to run in a swimming pool. And it's that well-crafted combination of intense noise and laid-back grooves that makes this album work. (Think "Mayonnaise" by Smashing Pumpkins) Take a tip from me and dive into that lake of distortion-flavored pudding.
The eponymous first track gets things off to a good start as muffled chords quickly bounce up and down the guitar neck; drums crashing with a trebly bite. The monotone vocals are barely audible, which, as I've been known to say, is never a bad thing. This recipe for shoegazer stew isn't oft strayed from throughout if it is, giving it a monolithic construction, leaving you staring with a glazed gaze while being pummeled by a wall of screeching guitar. Dub it onto a crappy blank tape, play it in your Honda Civic and wallow in your indie-pop induced lethargy. Listen to if it is here. They've also got a brand-new track called "New Start Old End", which is a lot more sparse. Check it out, it's impressive.
