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The Absentee’s au courant album, “Things I
Forgot At Birth,” is the ying and yang of West Coast
tunes—channeling airy measures joined with a sedate
bebop that binds the music and vocals into a single bite
of euphoria. “Things I Forgot At Birth” is the
breed of music that cools you down on a blazing summer day,
while watching slyly smiling girls in summer skirts trot
down a path in the park.
The album did, however, take a couple spins to warm up to.
I was torn between whether or not the lyrics were sappy
or sincere—if the vocals were warm or rough—or
if the tracks were original works of art or phony reincarnations
of Coldplay cuts. Which is my reasoning behind dubbing the
Absentee as Zen music masters—for their astonishing
ability to waver between the good and the bad musically.
In order to appropriately critique this album—it is
important to review the few phases experienced with each
replay:
Phase #1: Initially the vocals stood out as the supreme
musical contributor—by crooning muffled melodies that
were soothing and sensually desirable.
Phase #2: Subsequently, the other instruments chipped in—providing
a calming and refreshing harmony.
Phase #3: Lastly, my neurons begin to detect the Absentee’s
desire for ridiculous lyrics, including—“She
laughs like dirt,” “The violin’s first
sound,” and “Sail away with me… life is
but a dream”—collected from the track “Down
the Stream.” At this point I felt slightly betrayed
by the band as their trite behavior became increasingly
apparent. The Absentee—although musically clever and
stimulating—may be hiding a sliver of sell-out attitude.
Overall, The Absentee’s, “Things I Forgot At
Birth,” paraded a tranquil and reconciling cadence,
aside an ambiance that supported the album with a professionally
produced ring; however, the group’s “emo”
and morose perspectives may deflect music enthusiasts.
Reviewed by: Karoline Anderson 05.19.06 |
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