Published on Nov 20, 2001
Trash Wednesday is a band which I’ve been trying to figure out
for several months now. On one hand, their self-titled debut
suggests that this four-piece group might represent what Material
Issue would have sounded like had Jim Ellison come from Britain. On
the other hand, the disc almost suggests that the group, led by
vocalist Kid, is so laid back that this disc was done on
auto-pilot, a feeling which sometimes works against them.
The band – Kid, guitarist Michael Stone, bassist Darrell Arnold
and drummer Makoto – does seem to have a firm grasp on the concept
of power pop, as these 11 songs demonstrate. Indeed, there is some
material that suggests the group could have a solid future ahead of
them. Tracks like “Stop Tina Modotti,” “Obh Lah Lah” (whatever the
hell
that’s supposed to mean) and “Katerina” occasionally get a
Smashing Pumpkins-like vibe going, which helps to kick the material
into a whole new level musically. I’d venture to say that Trash
Wednesday is closer to bands like Material Issue in style, but they
do create their own voice quickly.
All of that said, it often feels like the band is so familiar
with the material and the style that they get bored playing it.
Listen to tracks like “Song Of Love” (which features a pseudo yodel
from Kid) and try to point out a moment where the energy kicks
above, oh, say 40 percent. Listen to “Love Ain’t So Pretty
(Anymore)” and find the areas which could have used another coat of
paint or two – say, in the chorus development, or even in the basic
chord progression of the song. Even find the areas where Kid’s
vocal could have been stronger – say, on “Blue Sky,” at the points
where his vocal not only drops off the face of the earth, but does
so out of step with the song. (Damned shame, really, since this was
one of the better songs on the disc.)
In a sense, I’d like to get excited about Trash Wednesday – if
only the band seemed excited about their own material.
Trash Wednesday is by no means a bad disc; if it was, I
wouldn’t have spent the better part of three months trying to get
the nuances of it. There are signs in these songs that the band
could well become a name to watch in the ever-expanding alternative
rock field. (Actually, they’re closer to true alternative rock than
a lot of the musical sludge out there now.) Maybe Trash Wednesday
falls prey to the same trap that so many other great bands have –
namely, they’re better live than in the studio. Until the day comes
where I can fly out to see these guys perform, that will have to
remain a mystery, and
Trash Wednesday will have to be what I base my opinion on.
Inject a little caffiene into the mix, and we might have something
interesting from fade in to fade out. Until then – well, they did
give it the old college try, and they came close to succeeding.
2001 Christopher Thelen and “The Daily Vault”. All rights
reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without
written permission.