album of the week - 4.1

Obits

I Blame You

Sub Pop (2009)

Why you'll love it:  classic swami records style cow punk rock n roll

why you'll hate it:  a bit gimmicky.  Does not live up to past bands.

Obits is a band that is both noteworthy and restrained by its own past. A few years after putting to rest the greatest punk rock band ever, Hot Snakes, Rick Froberg returns to the mic. It's great to hear this guy's voice again. While it seems he's aging faster than Keith Richards, the vocals remain as young as his Drive Like Jehu days.

The album starts out very strong. The first three tracks are killer. "Widow of My Dreams" shows off the melodic talent of the group. It's a very moody track, like something right out of Suicide Invoice. Some well paced punk songs follow, and then things start to slow down... It's quite unfair, but I can't help but start to imagine how John "Speedo" Reis  would have punched up the weaker songs if he was accompanying Rick instead of leading The Night Marchers.

"Two Headed Coin" is my first hurdle. It's grown on me, but the thick southern-blues style of singing felt gimmicky, and thoughts of "Paid in Cigarettes" flood my mind, which is a far superior government ranting song. Next track, "Run" is alright, until I hear a familiar guitar riff that was used frequently between verses when Hot Snakes would perform "Let it Come" live. I can't get through "Talking To The Dog" without signing "This Mystic Decade", which has a slightly similar vocal progression. The ghosts of punk rock past linger all over this album.

This coupled with a rather tame closer that doesn't even sound like something Froberg would ever write, left me feeling rather deflated. I Blame You is a respectable first effort, but lost in the shadow of an outstanding punk rock career.