Published on Apr 23, 2004
It is springtime; the sun is smiling in all its benevolent
radiance over all the sublunary entities, with all the pretty
flowers smiling back in unison, and winged creatures of all shapes,
sizes and wing-spans tearing the free air, which is filled with
sweet honest music that played by a band called The Citizens — the
air smells sweet, sounds dulcet.
Are We There Yet? has all the pleasing qualities of ’80s
Brit-pop, with a puckish edge: simplicity with a sense of melody,
and a mischievous smirk on the face of an innocuous countenance. As
the album kicks of with “What’s Happening At The Seams” you know
it’s springtime, as singer Mark Lesseraux sings “Particles
colliding; who to confide in? I feel no shame mom” in the most
vivifying manner, with the most blissful background vocals,
infusing further life into the music, following it up with the
up-tempo “Blusher” keeping sunshine going strong. While the amiable
“Blusher” is an innocent interpretation of shyness, “What’s
Happening At The Seams” is more ponderous; about how longer the
seam can hold, before giving in to the mess that we put ours and
other’s lives through. Well, on one hand, if the band goes into
some cheeky imagination with “Blusher,” it gets more serious with
“What’s Happening At The Seams,” but the façade, in both the
cases is that of a mellifluous breeze on a bright day.
The Citizens are a mischievous lot, moving to and fro between
more serious undertones, and intelligent caprices, with the
presentation as amiable as it can get. Lead singer Mark Lesseraux’s
benign vocals swing between the flashy grandiloquent manner of Jeff
Buckley, and the sublimity and honesty of Andy Partridge. He can
deftly play the part of a concerned lover in “You Might Be Right”
and a messed up drunk in “Deck Full Of Jokers,” and on the other
hand, happily reminisce on his childhood days in “Kaleidoscope,” or
just soulfully express his love in the most open way in
“Clementine.” The originality of this band, a great deal goes to
the powerful, yet tender vocals of Mark, and his avatars, that
provide the most heavenly background vocals.
Musically, the band doesn’t shy away from experimenting with
their song-styles. It is honeyed in “What’s Happening…”
“Kaleidoscope” and “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”, an angst
ridden punk in “Catch You On Your Way Down” or dopey in “Are We
There Yet?” It has intricacies that are simple, earthy and elegant.
While Radiohead gets all worked up about the topsy-turvy world of
today and creates exotic space journeys, The Citizens have a more
simplistic answer to the world, in the form of “In B For
Backwards”: a simple jazz tune, with sarcasm that is easy to digest
(“If you’re lost, just act like all the others and no one will
notice. Ironically I do mean every word babe. And I feel some kinda
presence everywhere”).
Are We There Yet? doesn’t seek to floor you at the very
first encounter. It does neither keep an unapproachable distance,
not letting you close to it. It is affable to those who understand
honesty and the beauty of honesty. In this day and age, where
everything is going electronic and plush, it is indeed heartening
to see a neophyte stick to the basics and relive the good old days
of 80s alt-pop, which was unpretentious and unadulterated.
For more information on The Citizens, visit
http://www.citizensmusic.com