Boomsnake
Give & Take
ECA/Gnome; 2009
Pop music has taken more than a few twists and turns since being reclaimed by the indie rock community over the course of the current decade. Harmony vocals are important once again, melodies are fresher than ever, and musicians are learning how to actually play their instruments, while electronic devices of both professional and amateur construction are fast becoming a necessary tool in the studio and on the stage. I continue to be amazed at the sheer number of acts making music these days that are avowed disciples and learned students of the classic sounds of the ‘60s.
Boomsnake is clearly such an act, and on Give & Take, the Brooklyn duo looks to marry arty folk music with The Beatles to create a brand of sleepy, dreamy indie-pop that’s all their own. The lilting falsetto of Gabriel Rodriguez is the most notable aspect of the group’s sound, though it’s paired well with his guitar and the drumming of his compatriot Dave Mead. However, despite the tasty pop swipes of “Be Here Now,” “In Da Ground,” and “(Ghost Town) Excuses,” the project is a bit too quirky for its own good. The sample-driven track “My Pretend Friend” only clouds the mood and tone of the record, while “Honey” and “Enough, Not Caves” sound respectively like a Bright Eyes and Wolf Parade b-side. Despite my reservations with the band’s direction, there is a healthy chunk of promise and talent resident within Boomsnake, so I wish the band well as it chases after its pop dreams.