Chewing Pine

Shaky Hands – Lunglight (Holocene/Kill Rock Stars, 2008)

I’ve read reviews of this slab that mention M. Ward and R.E.M. (who shouldn’t really be mentioned ever – unless it’s in a tone of derision). And since that’s the case, invoking those names further won’t really be a great help. But since the US is supposedly amidst an underground rock renaissance, I suppose that these Northwesterners are going to be lumped into that. Of course, one would first have to accept the fact that rock is making a come back and if No Age or Fleet Foxes are proof of that – well there just might not actually be an argument to be made.

Lunglight is unquestionably a rock record: easily digestible and springing forth hooks. The most outstanding quality to the lead off track, “A New Parade” is its ability to make me recall “New Breed” by Iron Cross. Nick Delffs lackadaisical, slurred singing is charming in a certain way, but here, his nonchalance enables one to hear his lyrics in ways that he did not intend. The off kilter singing pledges debts to Steven Malkmus, much in the same way that very frequently the rhythm section sounds like an updated Talking Heads. The drumming surpasses the rest of the music in its inventiveness and there seems to be a repeated Caribbean inflection in a lot of the playing. Drumming behind the beat on “You’re the Light” recalls ska (you’re laughing – don’t.)

An overwhelming majority of this disc is pretty standard fare. Occasionally, the drumming swells into some sort of poly-rhythmic frenzy only to be dragged down again by the normalcy of the rest of the group. Shaky Hands, though, are at its best when Delffs indulges his bizarre sonic fantasies – this happens too infrequently. “No Say” proffers a quite and almost jazzy progression interspersed with some guitar noise instead of a bridge. That ‘bridge’ could be the most impressive portion of the album. And that’s too bad, because Shaky Hands sound almost urgent. But not quite.