Making "Waves"
E. A Solinas | MD USA | 05/31/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Los Angeles indierock band Marjorie Fair will make their long-awaited domestic debut in July, after being only available as an import. But listeners can find out about their sound in the single for "Waves," one of the songs from "Self Help Serenade."
The title track is lush and an aural treat, full of swirling guitar and percussion, which makes it sound like Mercury Rev on the beach. But it's the smartest surf song I've ever heard. "These are waves that I talked about silly boy... the person that I thought I was/Is something I don't think is coming true," frontman Evan Slamka croons.
After that comes a pair of non-album tracks, which take a less organic, more electronic sound: "What I Said" is a prettily distorted song, which sounds like it was recorded underwater, and "True Lovers" is a delicate, raw little song that is augmented by lots of synthy blips and melodies.
Marjorie Fair is one of those bands who may well take the world by storm, if the world just listens to their music. And "Waves" is a good way to get to know their music -- it's raw, emotionally charged, and has a sound of brooding delicacy underlying those solid rock rhythms.
Evan Slamka's songwriting adds to that melancholy sound, whether he's playfully talking about waves, or begging a lover not to be cruel to him. With its ripply sound, "What I Said" sounds rather ephemeral beside the other two songs, but taken alone it's still a highly enjoyable listen.
In the weeks before "Self Help Serenade" gets a domestic release, listeners should check out Marjorie Fair's sound in "Waves.""
Track Listings (3) - Disc #1