EastScene

Every once in a while, while scouring the endless amounts of bands that are being featured all over Purevolume and MySpace, your mouse will float over a band that speaks to you in some way. On this particular occasion a trendy six piece group named Annuals spoke to me and captured my attention long enough for me to listen to the first song on ‘Be He Me’, ‘Brother’.

‘Brother’, an ambient and earthy melody that transforms into an orchestral indie/rock song, really sets the tone for the entire album. Each song reels you in and gets you comfortable only to jerk you in another musical direction even better than the first. Whether it be the easy listening groove of ‘The Bull, And The Goat’, the waltzy rhythm of ‘Complete, Or Completing’ or the synthesis infused indie pop track ‘Bleary-Eyed’, ‘Be He Me’ manages to change with every song, while keeping the Annuals’ distinct sound in tact.

The only negative thing I can say about the entire 12 song album is that there is a lack of a lyrical base to really make these songs tell stories. Actually, most of the words end up sounding like something your elementary school janitor with the lazy eye would say. This excerpt of ‘Dry Clothes’ proves my point perfectly.

“There’s A knapsack Rally for the stranger who told of a spider and a purple toad.
The things I heard were wretched and slurred.
Oh my ears would be cut off at mention.”

So. Although creative! They won’t be stuck in your head while you’re sitting in class or taking an extra long bathroom escape from work. You will, however, long to get back into the melodies that made you really feel something. Luckily for us, these moments are found constantly throughout this exceptionally well produced and executed album.

Closing comments:

Pros:

-Beautifully composed songs, intricate and rich that will keep you coming back.
-Great new band to introduce to your library.
-Your friends will be happy when you show them one of their new favourite groups.

Cons:

-The words, though they add color to the song, mostly sound like drug induced gibberish.

Rating: 9/10            “Fantastic.”

Album: Be He Me
Artist: Annuals
Record Label: Ace Fu
By: Jesse Smith.