Self Against City's first full-length, Telling Secrets to Strangers, just came out, but if you aren't lucky enough to already be listening to it, I'm here to tell you what I think about it. I emphasize "lucky" because this is a wonderful CD. After a year of watching a lot of my favorite bands morph into scene copycat zombies, I'm glad to be listening to Self Against City, who have swum against the dancecore current and put out an album that's anything but trendy. It's a follow-up to their 2005 EP Take It How You Want It, which was comprised of songs the band had used to impress Richard and Stefanie Reines and become the first band to be signed to Rushmore Records, Drive-Thru's sister label. And that's impressive for a band who formed about two and a half years ago and has gone through a tremendous amount of member swaps, drops, and re-joins.
Cheerful and romantic but upbeat enough to keep you on your toes, Telling Secrets to Strangers opens on a strong note. Like many other albums, it's where the band chooses to showcase their sound, giving the listener a good idea of what to expect later on. "Ready and Willing" is my personal favorite because of the story-like lyrics and intense vocal harmonies, but there's something on here for everyone. "Disappearing Act" is another one for splendid harmonies; "Tequila Moonlight" is a softer love song that boys will immediately want to add to their guitar wooing repertoire; "Becoming a Monster" is the one you want for dancing around your room in your underwear. (With the girl you wooed with the previous song, preferably.)
If you're looking for music to accompany moshing and punching holes in walls, this isn't it. If you're looking for something to cry to, you're out of luck too. But if--like me--you're just a happy kid who's looking for a solid new album to start the year off with, Telling Secrets to Strangers is it. We'll listen to it on nights when we go to the beach to skinny dip and roast marshmallows. And you other kids... cheer up and come with us, because good music + naked + marshmallows is a surefire recipe for awesome.
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A.A. '07 |
