1090 Club
Natural Selection
2009
SideCho Records
When one thinks of great rock towns, cities like Detroit, New York, and Chicago spring to mind. Billings, Montana is about the furthest thing from those sprawling metropolises, but it's home to a four-piece indie rock band known as 1090 Club whose recent release Natural Selection may just help put Billings on the map.
I was introduced to 1090 Club by a member of their own record label, SideCho Records. I accepted his offer to listen to the band's record, but cynically dismissed it in my mind as an effort to get some free promotion. Figuring I would never like the album enough to write a review, I sat down to listen to Natural Selection a few days after receiving it and was surprised to discover that this was anything but another blasé, straight from the mold independent album.
There's an intensity and emotional depth in Natural Selection that spans oceans. The irony is that the band eschews the more practical, traditional rock sound by incorporating heavy use of violins and piano to create stunning, bittersweet melodies. They may not always use the heaviest instruments, but the tracks drip with cynicism. The guitars are crunchy and distorted and the drums are often ferocious, but the piano and violins mesh with harmonized vocals to create a uniquely sweet, but also unmistakably venomous sound.
The biggest sticking point for many listeners may be the vocals, which can be more than a tad emo. The band members all share lead duties, but at times their voices crack and strain to hit certain notes, and a few of their harmonies sound a tad off-pitch. This is normally the sort of thing that I would hate and dismiss the entire album as just another crybaby emo record, but the music and surprisingly clever lyrics on Natural Selection really elevate it above your average angst rock band.
Most of the songs deal with typically angsty topics, but instead of the combination of sing-song choruses and unintelligible, guttural screaming found in the hardcore genre, 1090 Club choose to go the more melodic route. Produced by Steve Fisk, who has worked with both Soundgarden and the legendary Nirvana, the arrangements are complex, thoughtful, and well put-together.
The record opens with two stellar tracks, "ITSON" and "Off My Mind". The violin is frantically paced on the opener, while the powerful piano line is the focal point of the follow up. Both songs also feature heavily distorted guitars and incredibly memorable choruses. "Off My Mind" ramps up the intensity near the end with the addition of some hand claps, giving the song a very concert-like live feel when combined with the harmonized hook.
Natural Selection's best tracks all have one particular unique quality that makes them stand out for different reasons. The high-speed drums, violins, and simple but effective guitar riff of "ITSON" make it a perfect opener, setting the tone for the record; the beautiful harmonies of "Earworm" are an instant standout, and the weepy violin of "Things Inside" takes center stage. The albums final two tracks, "Positive Reinforcement" and "An Act", are as strong as the openers though their tempo is the polar opposite.
"Positive Reinforcement" is a largely stripped down ballad sung over piano and sad violins and some of the best lyrics on the album ("There's always a wrong way of wanting to be known and you seem to embody it..."). "An Act" has a somewhat funky drum pattern and plucked violins and what sounds like an electric piano, but the chorus picks up the pace for a brief, wonderfully harmonized sing-along.
The one thing each song has in common is their catchy choruses, which seem to come easily to the band and rescue even the album's few weaker moments. By and large, Natural Selection is a terrific album, and it has a very cohesive feel and tone. Many of the songs subtly lead into each other and the dark, melancholy melodies keep the mood heavy.
There are a few hiccups here and there. Several of the weaker songs are saved by their fantastic musical arrangements, but are dragged down by some slightly out of tune vocals where the singer's voice is at its most strained (particularly during extremely low or high notes), and no matter how many times I listen to it, I can't help but notice that the harmony in "Hearts" seems a little off.
Natural Selection may not be a perfect record, but it is a very solid effort from another up and coming indie band that's well worth the time. It's musically mature, with some very complex compositions, memorable lyrics, and when the band nails their harmonies they sound fantastic. Their knack for brilliant choruses could easily fit just as well in a pure pop band, but it works with their edgier sound. The violins and piano combine to create a sad, mellow sound, but the guitars and drums add a layer of seething anger and frustration. I can only hope that 1090 Club will continue to evolve.
damn. this article couldn't have said it any better! the first 3 tracks caught my attention. hope they come up w/ more stuff soon!
Posted by: B-Man | April 30, 2009 at 12:20 PM