album of the week 5.2

Obits

Moody, Standard And Poor

(2011)

why you'll love it - a more refined, energized, Obits return in proto-punk form

why you'll hate it - sort of a resignation from the first album's defiant pace

Heads up - I love Rick Froberg! The guy has already cemented himself as a punk rock icon in my eyes as the frontman of Hot Snakes & Drive Like Jehu. The 2009 Obits debut, I Blame You was an album I wanted to love more than I actually did. While few songs such as "Widow of My Dreams" and "Pine on" showed promise of a brilliant stripped down rock and roll band, the album mostly plodded aimlessly and struggled to crawl out from the shadow of Froberg's reputation. In 2010, I saw them perform their slow paced moody lo-fi numbers under dim lights with surgical precision, but to a restless crowd that obviously craved something more impulsive.

Spiting in the eye of "sophomore jinx", Obits has returned with a finely tuned sound that cuts the fat that weighed down I Blame You. They remarked in interviews the desire to 'get to the point' with their new material, and have unquestionably done just that here. Just like I Blame You, this album starts off very strong. "You Gotta Lose" is instantly one of their best songs, and has since become my go-to track to introduce someone to Obits. Rick is very sharp and critical with his lyrics, while the backup band hammers away with equally sharp guitar stings and a thumping baseline.

This time, focus never seems to falter from track to track. Even Sohrab's songs this time offer up just as much spit and crass to hang with Rick's. "Shift Operator" is one of my favorites on here because of its cool distortion techniques, uniquely evoking feelings of frustration. The only song on here that hangs onto the I Blame You formula is "New August", with its lengthy build up. Without so many of those tracks on here, "New August" stands out in good light, rather than being just another long song.

The only complaint I have about this album are a couple songs maybe sound too bratty… or at least too bratty for my impression of what the band is. I sort of see Obits as wise, and from an era when punk was more experimental and less formulaic. The guys who play it old school, and at their own pace. "No Fly List" and "Naked To The World" are so cavalier they sort of contradict that impression; but they are still good songs regardless.

This kind of old school lo-fi rock is rare to find today, aside from Rick's infrequent partner in crime (John Reis), or their respective distant cousins in Japan (Chiba Yusuke and Kenichi Asai). I admit, I lean to this stuff pretty easy, but I Blame You disappointed, and Moody, Standard, And Poor makes all the right moves. I can confidently say this is a strong rock album. It's simple, and short, but makes great use of the time it takes. A 2011 favorite.