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Francine 28 Plastic Blue Versions of Endings Without You Qdivision Records |
This album was talked up to me before I even received it, so I admit to having high expectations. And the thing is, from the opening notes of the bulkily titled 28 Plastic Blue Versions of Endings Without You, I was impressed. But over the course of 13 songs, the band threw me for a loop a few times, and thus my overall impression is mixed. While this is clearly a talented band with some fantastic songs, there’s a few miscues here that spoil the overall effect of 28 Plastic Blue Versions…
The key here is effect: on their second album, Francine has definitely gone for a moody, introspective approach. Their songs are quite rich – from frontman Clayton Scoble’s rich voice to the nice mixture of keyboards and guitars, hinting at folky and roots rock approaches while keeping the songs firmly grounded in the kind of melancholy indie rock I love so much. Jack Drag’s production work has brought out some unique elements to the band, and it may be his touches that give the songs their unique flare, from the bossa nova, almost psychedelic feel of the lovely “Inside Joke” (Blake Hazard adds backing vocals on this one) to the retro-psychedelic-pop of the catchy “Nascar.”
“Technical Books” is a languid, softly flowing and beautiful song, with some unique electronic sounds providing an odd backdrop to the mid-tempo pace and Scoble’s soft vocals. They get about as rocking as sounds natural for them on “This Sunday’s Revival,” with a more up-beat, drum-led chorus. Much of the rest of the album includes very laid-back numbers, like “Fake Fireplace Things” with its layered, warbling guitars, and the softer, more sparse feel of songs like “Novelty.” Although some of the more upbeat songs don’t work as well, the lighter feeling “Chlorine,” which contains the album title as a lyric, has a nice feel despite its rather standard rhythm section. Scoble’s voice shines nicely here, and the keyboards add another dimension.
Unfortunately, some songs don’t work as well. The band acquires a Pavement-esque feel on “Silver Plated 606,” which doesn’t work for Scoble’s vocals, and the simple guitar and drum approach is less accessible. The kind of old-guys-rocking feel on “Ratmobile” works even worse, and the garage- or bar-rock style just feels totally out of place here. The Beatles-esque “Uninstall” only feels uncomfortable because it’s given the Beatles style of psychedelic keyboards and slightly fuzzy vocals.
It’s
hard to put Francine into a genre, really. Something about their clean, crisp,
yet layered sound seems to hint at folk and radio-pop from the 60s and 70s,
but the music style is definitely modern. I suspect it’s the fact that,
when you get down to it, Francine is playing pop music, albeit with a slightly
psychedelic twist and a moody, melancholy air. In the moments when they embrace
that focus, the band is very, very good. When they get a little silly, unfortunately,
they don’t succeed as well. Still, this is a strong album and definitely
recommended.
- Jeff, 7/28/03