Search - Tugboat Annie :: Separation Songs

And you stand there without your luck

Judah Maddry | Baton Rouge, LA, USA | 10/10/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tugboat Annie played a show in my tiny little town of Moss Bluff, Louisiana in some lucky guy's garage. Back then I didn't know who they were, and neither did my brother, but he went to the show and came back raving about this band that played unbelievably catchy songs with this super-energetic singer. "Bird," the first song on this five-track-plus-one-hidden track gem, was the first song I ever heard from Tugboat Annie. I downloaded it and the song "Tell Me" and decided that I had to have the CD that "Bird" was recorded on."Bird" is an instant-classic melodic noise pop masterpiece, and Separation Songs is worth purchasing for it alone. It features drone notes that ring on for what seems like an eternity with the rest of the song being built around them, until they are suddenly-yet-smoothly replaced by another set of drone notes. With simple but oh-so-catchy leads floating up and down next to the drone notes, an innovative bass line that fleshes out the sound collage, and the energetic-but-not-excessive vocal part that easily lends itself to singing along, all set to a driving, quick-but-not-too-quick beat, I honestly can't think of anything I would change about the song. Now that I've given "Bird" its due, I can move on to say that the rest of the album is really solid is well. The second song, "Contact," is a slower song with a stuttered beat that keeps the listener awake, with a good hook, and a verse that transitions into the chorus very nicely. The third track the name of which I can't remember at the moment (sorry, guys) is slower than "Contact," until it picks up at the end. The vocal part is rough, but it is intentional, conveying a sort of reckless desperation. This works well with each peaking chorus as he sings at the top of his lungs "Don't break down! Don't break down!" over a wall of melodic guitar noise. The fourth song, "Grass Parade," is instantly catchy, returning to a more upbeat feel and making great use of dynamics as it switches from verse to chorus and back. The vocal part of the chorus is so poppy and catchy it instantly latches on to your to your brain. "Seperation," the fifth song, is probably my least favorite, although if it appeared on the album of any mediocre artist it would shine out like gold. It is the slowest song on the CD, and in my opinion it drags a little bit, with guitar counterparts that seem the slightest bit out of tune at times.The hidden track is hardly worth mentioning. In fact it's not worth mentioning. I mean, it's a hidden track. The only hidden track I ever heard that was worth putting on the CD was...wait...there never was one. Okay. Paz y gozo."