Pretty solid indietronica
Oct 6, 2007 by Roon 
Grass Geysers…Carbon Clouds – Enon
★★★★☆
I’m currently listening to the latest release from Philly-based indie rock trio Enon, Grass Geysers…Carbon Clouds, released by Touch & Go Records.
Now, I’m sorry, but I hadn’t heard of them before. I hadn’t followed guitar/vocalist John Schmersal from his early days in Brainiac, and I was completely unaware of of the lineup changes over Enon’s last three full-length studio releases as Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon were replaced by bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Toko Yasuda and drummer Matt Schulz. So, I’m absolutely not able to tell you how this compares to, say, their highly-regarded sophomore effort, 2002’s High Society.
What I am able to tell you, though, is that I enjoyed this album almost immensely. The noisy punk core supports the layers of dirty synthpop noodling quite well, resulting in an experience which is energetic without being in anyway simplistic, and experimental without being at risk of getting lost. The mood is dark and somewhat surreal, but cut through with occasional moments of shiny happy.I do, however, have two complaints.
First, I don’t nearly enjoy Schmersal’s vocals as much as I enjoy Yasuda’s. I’m of the firm belief that rock plus girly female vocals is always more kick-ass than rock plus just some guy’s vocals. Although Yasuda does take lead vocal duty on much of the disc, there are times when Schmersal’s vocal lead, and I find those moments lack the punch found in the rest of the album.
Second, the tracks were too damn short. The longest cut on the album, ashish, only clocks in at 4:29. Certainly, there’s a place for short music in this world, but I felt many of these songs ended before they had a chance to fully develop into whatever they were developing into. These don’t need to be some twenty-minute extravaganza, but I don’t think reaching at least two minutes on every song, and maybe once or twice breaking five minutes would break the songs. One final note. Although it has no impact on the sound of the album at all, the foil-enhanced album art is bitchin’.
[mp3] “Mirror On You“
[mp3] “Mr. Ratatatatat“
[mp3] “Paperweights“
Recommended if you like: The Fiery Furnaces, The Unicorns, Blonde Redhead, Les Savy Fav
This hReview brought to you by the hReview Creator. —————- Now playing: Enon – pigeneration via FoxyTunes
