The Musical Concern
The Postmarks
Memoirs At The End Of The World
(August 25, 2009 – Unfiltered Records)

This is a curious concoction: One part soundtrack to Bond – James Bond, one part dream-pop. A girl named Tim. And a band better suited to the “South of France,” than “South Florida,” their home base. The strange cherry on top is that Tim (Yehezkely) was tapped to be the vocalist after an open-mic performance at a dance club.

If this sounds like a bad idea to you, I couldn’t agree more. However, there happens to be the nagging matter of an opening cut from Memoirs At The End Of The World (their third full-length.) “No One Said This Would Be Easy” is a gorgeous piece of film score that simultaneously manages a commanding pop presence and an indie-folk aesthetic. The bombast of movie music washes into a gauzy vocal, accompanied by acoustic guitar. This song establishes the rules for what’s to come and demands continued attention.

“My Lucky Charm” follows in a bouncy, Supremes vein. Then darkly, plush strings herald the coming of a “Thorn In Your Side,” a trippy, three-minute journey in pursuit of the happiness “at the end of the world.” (Lee Hazlewood, phone home.) In “You Don’t Know Till You Try,” Yehezkely’s mantra, “it’s gonna be fine,” finds an uneasy place atop dissonant (synth) horns that hint at an altogether, different outcome.

Jonathan Wilkins (drums) and Christopher Moll (guitar) are the other two thirds of this songwriting trio. (Brian Hill (bass) & Jeff Wagner (keys) are credited with “additional instrumentation” on the band’s website.) They are self-professed cinemaphiles with an uncommon talent for atom-smashing elements that don’t fit. Case in point: “All You Ever Wanted” begins in scratchy ambiance, morphs into breezy groove, then incorporates a brief four-bar suspension, before breaking full into a sing-and-sway chorus. Acoustic guitar serves as a syncopated metronome, a sitar doubles the vocal.

The only thing not to like about this record is that it’s too long. And not by much. “Jetsetters” (the single!), “The Girl From Aglenib,” and the closer “Gone,” drag down the energy, and make for a murky finish. Even so, Memoirs At The End Of The World has to be my pick for After-Party Album of the Year.

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Unfiltered Records

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JH