I was going to start this review with a little paragraph explaining who/what Them Squirrels is, but once the first track of this incredible EP starts playing it's impossible to think about anything else. Opening with a looping and sinister swell of noise and a gallop of vocals speaking processed gibberish and calling operatically, in a manner similar to - if this means anything to you - the singing just before Maude enters in The Big Lebowski!? Anyway, soon the lead vocals join in and they're delightfully obtuse and the track moves into a similar kind of territory to such avant-garde acts as Animal Collective, though this joins them at their current point of merging - with consumate skill - the experimental and the pop.
Them Squirrels is the solo project of JT, drummer, co-vocalist and sometime guitar player in Attack + Defend, some of the traits of his other guise are present on Delicate Steps with its sudden changes, scuzzy riffs and repeat-repeat lyrics. JT's voice though brings a different flavour to the mix, his use of layering as well keeps things softer and generally more melodic than the equally inventive spiky pop-punk he's usually playing.
You can really hear the Battles on Behind Those Walls which plays glorious tricks with backwards vocals before turning into a psychedelic The Beatles-like trip with glitchy, erratic arrangements. Entirely put together on his own this track is the real showcase for Them Squirrels talents as not only a musician but a producer, crafting something that you can compare to others but still manages to be absolutely unique. For example Pass the Puck sounds like Radiohead but filtered through a crashing computer, played by an asylum and juxtaposed by strangely tender elements such as vibraphone, vocals and some Eastern sounding feedback; all of this over what sounds like a food mixer fighting a vaccum cleaner.
This five-track comes to a close with Out of Sight that sounds like Final Fantasy playing the theme to some The Prisoner-like TV series, all shimmering notes and spooky atmospherics. It echoes back to the first track with an industrialised variation on the once sweet vocals roll, whilst JT himself filters his voice into something similar to a clattering train. The EP ending with all the manic invention and distortion of modern composer Thomas Ades, and that should be some indication of the level of detail and skill put into this absolutely jaw-dropping EP. It's the kind of record you listen to and can tell how much effort has gone into it, yet it sounds effortless.
Five stars? FIVE STARS??! I've not heard this but, is it really worthy of perfect marks? I mean REALLY worthy? If you were scoring this out of 100, would you give it a hundred?
Yes, I personally believe this unsigned EP is definitely worthy of 5 Little Silver Stars and I believe so on a number of levels. Firstly as an entirely self-produced and mixed and almost entirely self-played (violin and some backing vocals supplied by another) this is an absolutely staggering achievement. Beyond that technical aspect the tracks themselves are diverse yet manage to coherently form part of a definite whole, and, beyond being just experimental they are memorable, moving, catchy, interesting and different.
In my opinion the 5 Star rating does not mean 'Perfect', it does not mean '100%' because it is out of '5', if I were to be judging this out of '100' I would have to rethink very hard, but I don't believe something should be marked out of '100' as I am not really trying to mark each album on merits to such a finicky degree but rather to suggest to you, the reader, how worthy of your time any particular release is.
When I give a record '5 Stars' I am in no way suggesting that everyone will love it, I know I love it, but should a reviewer really abandon their own feelings for a rating that encompasses all views and opinions, because in that case everything should get '3 Stars'! What am I saying with any '5 Star' rating I give is that I personally love the album but also feel it is definitely worth a bit of almost everyone's time, I don't know if you'll like it too, and I definitely don't know if you'll like it as much as me, but I really hope you'll give it a chance.
'4 Stars' usually means I really liked it but I'm not sure if everyone will.
'3 Stars' means it's a pretty good effort, but I have a number of issues with it, or its inconsistent.
'2 Stars' means it's generally quite poor, but not without certain merits.
'1 Star' means it's very poor indeed and probably seems lazy or displays a lack of feeling or imagination.
But, these are my interpretations of the '5 Stars', everyones opinion on what they represent differs and I, personally, am against giving half stars.
Hehe well said Owain, also there's half stars which makes it easier I think. I think people should read the review and listen to the music before they atack the starage which is a very subjective thing. Sadly people look at the stars first.
I've commented elsewhere that it is much easier to give shorter works - singles, EPs etc - 5 stars, than whole albums. It's not totally out of leftfield.
