Search - Swivel Chairs :: Slow Transmission

AllMusic Guide Gives Swivel Chairs - Slow transmission 4.5 S

J. Moran | Philadelphia | 08/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Review by Stewart Mason

The second full-length by the Swivel Chairs is power pop the way it used to be a musical generation or so ago: say, between the release of the dB's' Stands for Decibels in 1981 and Cotton Mather's Kontiki in 1997. Unlike many contemporary power pop acts, songwriters Jason Brown and Jeremy Grites have little interest in slavish devotion to trying to replicate the sound of their musical idols. Those songs that do recall earlier acts (the dreamy "All at Once" has a strong Let's Active vibe, not least because Grites' breathy tenor at times sounds shockingly like Mitch Easter's) seem to do so either by accident or by virtue of shared musical antecedents: the Swivel Chairs have no evident interest in being the Rutles. The overall vibe of the album is low-key verging on mellow, but the songs' carefully detailed arrangements, clever hooks, strong melodies, and varied emotional moods, along with neat changeups like the spacy two-minute instrumental "Clockwise," keep The Slow Transmission from sounding like one deadened midtempo shuffle after another. Instead, this is a mature, intelligent pop record that's both a clear step up from the Swivel Chairs' earlier albums and proof that there's life in the pop underground yet.



2007 CD Transit of Venus 7004"

Excellent

Shirl | 03/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As to The Slow Transmission, you could say Swivel Chairs are a tanquil band just fitting with the name. All tracks sound quite calm, clear and somewhat nerveless. Still, the form of the record as a full is pretty flexible. One moment it feels like listening to a modern Uncle Tupelo, then it sounds like +/- and the next it is something like The New Pornographers. Some may complain about this variabilty - ones who are relatively conservative with their genres- but to me it is something to be praised about the record, because each variety seems to be balanced and eagerly clicked to each other from where I am standing.



First track, here out of reach is an appropriate opener, with the mellow powerpop fragments all over the tune. Cello contributions in between gives a richer feel to it, forerunning the upcoming instrumental diversity.



The powerpop atmosphere is to be felt very often in the rest of the record. all at once, just a little girl, breaking up and afterthought could be classified in this section. Afterthought in particular, is an upbeat, snappy and entertaining piece thanks to the live drum beats running behind.



The ongoing catchy-pop wave balks to change places with a relatively experimentalist sound; clockwise. A short instrumental tune, musically harmonic with the general sound of The Slow Transmission in my opinion. Though, I am not sure about how this little experimenting would be received by powerpop / alt-country diggers. As for me, well I really like it. I think it is the best moment in the album along with december ghosts. Similarly, December Ghosts could be rated as an experimental tune (comparing to the whole record!) with the chilling dense depth flowing over. Some of you might find this comparison irrelevant but vocals on December Ghosts does really remind me of John Bramwell of I Am Kloot. Probably this and the dense depth explains why this one is my favorite.



Easy now is one of those alt-country weighted tracks making me think The Jayhawks meeting Wilco. In a very softy, catchy way for sure. Same catchiness and folk-rock breeze goes for sun goes down, caloused hands and 10 G (say so) as well. Especially the banjo assistance in Caloused Hands makes this one probably the warmest track in the album, giving a summery Mediterranean-esque feel. I have to tell that this song have me recalled The Decemberists just a little too.



Excluding december ghosts (cause that is way too different than these two); Let's Get Down to Earth and wasting time are the slowest bits of The Slow Transmission. Let's Get Down to Earth is an impressive ballad where Wasting Time is a typical closing tune with no surprises.



The music journey Jason Brown and Jeremy Grites has launched 15 years ago is going on full throttle; with the contributons of Ed Hogarty, Mike Kennedy and Steve Cawley today. Their latest release, The Slow Transmission could be a good opportunity to get to know them, for those looking for peace in music represented by a hybrid sound binding alt-country and powerpop together."