Published on Jun 9, 2006
Occasionally, I can listen to too much music. Lately,
I’ve been jumping all over the map listening to the new Red Hot
Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac, Pantera, etc. In the middle of all
this came the Citizens Of Contrary Knowledge.
I will say this for the band; they made for an
excellent palate cleanser. After listening to all sorts of
different genres, You’re What You Wish You Are… was
straight-up rock with no strings attached. That made for a pleasant
listen at the time, even if most of the music is not very
memorable.
It becomes apparent quickly that the members of the
Citizens are masters of their instruments. From what I gather, some
of the members of the band have played with Joe Walsh and Rick
Derringer, masters of the Almighty Riff. That 70s rock style
definitely filters into the performances on You’re What…
keeping with the retro trends that dominate the music industry
today.
However, as I’ve written on this site before, solid
playing does not solely a great album make. I can’t really complain
about tracks like the opener “Complicated” or “Unless You Do,”
because they certainly don’t sound bad. They just lack oomph behind
them, and while I kept waiting for the tracks to take off they
remained grounded on the runway. For example, I really enjoyed the
solos in “House Of Cards,” but the song didn’t grab me with a
strong hook.
Some do step up to the plate. “Brand New Dance” is a
great funk/rock song in the vein of a Chili Peppers track; the
falsetto vocals are infectious. “Lonely Hearts Society” sports a
killer opening riff cut from the AC/DC playbook while also
featuring some very impressive harmonies. A few power ballads even
join the fun, the best of which being the very heavy “Spread Your
Wings.” The acoustic/harmony-driven “Friends” captures a real
Zeppelin “Battle Of Evermore” feel.
One aspect of indie records that I try to identify is
whether or not a band has potential. The Citizens Of Contrary
Knowledge definitely have it. Their technical skills are already at
the level, but now the rest of the material has to catch up. I
foresee an excellent sophomore release.