Land of Talk – Some Are Lakes Review
As we approach the year 2009 there is no doubt that indie rock is on a slow decline, soon to be buried in the mosaic of rock by dancier upbeat genres and more traditional rock (see MGMT, Kings of Leon, The Killers, etc.). But once in a while a band like Land of Talk comes along and tips the scales just a little bit for indie rock, adding a few more years to its life expectancy.
Since their beginnings, LOT have continued to shed light on the age old question: what happens when you mix Sonic Youth, Amy Millan, and Leslie Feist?
Following up its Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, Land of Talk’s Some Are Lakes offers a slightly poppier and more accessible alternative with the opening song “Yuppy Flu” and the title track. But the band once again tips its hat to Sonic Youth with the noise rock tendencies of “Give Me Back My Heart Attack” and “Corner Phone.” The album flows beautifully and makes for a more engaging listen every time. Elizabeth Powell’s voice carries well throughout the album, coming across as both fragile and confident. In her darkest moments her lyrics portray frustration, anger and confrontation, and in her brightest moments it’s carelessness and submission, with death as a central theme. But with that said, the album’s definitely not a downer, since it reveals the beauty frustration can offer and uses instrumental aspects of the music to speak what words never can – a good sign of true musicians.
Though Elizabeth occasionally slurs her words together making them difficult to understand, she and her bandmates are always successful in conveying their emotions through their instruments. From the graceful fuzzy guitar line in Corner Phone which has the mark of Denali’s single “Hold Your Breath” to the melody Powell plays in “It’s Okay” that is dripping with reverb, chills are commonplace when listening to this record.
The balance between songs is also remarkable. Some songs will make listeners want to dance, others may cause them to smile, sulk, or just relax. And although some songs hit the ceiling of acceptable indie rock decibel levels and others seem to whisper, the vibe is consistent and will help establish a signature sound for the band among indie rock circles. Not only does this record help to revive the increasingly bland, oversaturated and unexciting indie rock scene, but is arguably the most outstanding Canadian release of 2008.
Tags: album
