Reviews

Limbeck has been around for a while but I think I can honestly say that their latest self-titled release on Doghouse Records is by far and away their best effort and one that everyone should take for a spin, especially with summer fast approaching.  Spring boarding off of their last album, Let Me Come Home, the band has indulged all of their alt country, classic rock, and indie pop tendencies. What emerges from this quagmire is a beautiful slice of Americana indie music that leaves every pretension at the door while inviting you inside to partake in what will surely be a good time.
 
Opening track “Trouble” sounds like a b-side from Wilco’s Summerteeth, complete with “ohhs” and “ahhs” as well as bells and a swaying rhythm. Lead singer Robb MacLean even does his best Jeff Tweedy impersonation, though it’s a delivery spiked with hints of John K Samson as well, making for both a delicate and earnest voice. The second track, “Big Drag,” begins with a killer sounding distorted, swaggering bass courtesy of Justin Entsminger. The low end is soon joined by staccato guitars from MacLean and lead guitarist Patrick Carrie which definitely lend the tune a classic rock feel in the vein of John Lennon’s solo output. It’s these types of comparisons that make me smile; Limbeck has obviously had no problem embracing both the old and the new. With this release, the band is able to evoke artists such as Lennon and The Beach Boys but with the contemporary spin of bands like the aforementioned Wilco, The Format, and even The Shins.
 
I’d say that if you had the break down the album to what exactly makes it so great, it has to be the songwriting coupled with the selection and implementation of all the varied instruments and tones. For a perfect example of both, look no further than “Bird Problems,” a song which easily contains everything I love about this record. It begins with an acoustic guitar accompanied by a stomp-clap-stomp-clap style beat. When drummer Jon Phillip finally does arrive, he keeps it simple and solid, grounding the whimsical beginning a bit and giving the tune a little more depth. A pedal steel guitar and woodblocks also arrive in the second verse. All of this leads up to my favorite portion of the record; a reggae tinged, rockin’ bridge complete with a nice, crisp solo from Carrie. This song is what I would consider to be a perfect mixed-tape song; it wonderfully showcases a few different sides of the band in an interesting and ear-catching way. But the songwriting and execution don’t have to always be entirely unique or quirky to be good. While the boys show that they are certainly capable of stretching themselves quite a bit, they also burn through some great barroom style rock with tracks like “Let Me Come Home” and “Keeping Busy.”
 
I really can’t say enough about the arrangements on this record; their damn near flawless. The production is also crystal clear while still maintaining an organic sound that feels both ambitious and natural. While listening to this record, aside from the normal array of guitars, bass, and drums, I believe I was able to pick out keyboards, organs, horns, timpani, and I think a banjo and a ukulele. This is a huge leap for a band who’s last album kept the instrumentation to a much more standard and simple fare. This kind of release is a really a great example of what a band is able to do when they push themselves out of their comfort zone and embrace all of their ideas and influences.
 
In the end, I would say that I really only have two small complaints about this record. The first being that the songs all tend to be the same tempo. This album is generally a mid-tempo affair and that can wear on the listener a bit after a while, though the varied instrumentation tends to help distract from this fact. The only other thing I’m not entirely happy with is MacLean’s lyrics. While he seems to have done a much better job this time around of helping his band avoid being labeled “the band that only writes about traveling,” he would do well to continue in the lyrical direction this album takes and keep branching out with his words; it seems that his ability to craft a fetching melody is developing a bit quicker than his skills at piecing together a witty quip or an insightful suggestion. But these are minor issues and barely keep this album from getting a five star rating, though I think they will certainly be flirting with it again on a future release.
 
I usually end up obsessing over three or four releases each summer that, for me, encapsulate the spirit of the season. Limbeck’s new record will probably end up taking the coveted summer soaked indie rock slot and you can bet I’ll be lending it out, putting tracks on mixes for friends, and playing it at barbeques for years to come.