New Music Review: The Lumineers-The Lumineers

The Lumineers-The Lumineers

 Dualtone Music

Grade: 8.01 (B-)

Available At: emusic, Amazon MP3 & CD

It seems like in the last few years, there is a new folk/folk-pop/Americana band that arrives on the scene and slowly takes the hearts of its listeners with quirky, literate tunes. Then word of mouth comes along from friends, songs pop up on advertisements or commercials, and you see the band on a late night TV show with a delightful disposition and you think "You know, I want to know more about this band?" As the year goes by, more and more people are on board. You see they're selling out shows in you hometown (which they did this week here in Indianapolis) and they begin to be the hip band to throw out. The music is polite enough that it's not going to offend anyone. When the hooks hit right, they become instant singalongs for minivan drivers across the country. This year, there is no doubt in my mind that Denver based folk trio, The Lumineers, are poised to capture the hearts of many people with their self titled debut album. So the only theoretical question is: "Are the songs that good when people start talking about how good The Lumineers are?"

My answer is yeah, there's some good stuff on the debut.They've crafted a web of folk songs that are instantly recognizable and sometimes beyond getting out of you mind once they've penetrated from a few listens. Take the opening single "Ho Hey". On the first couple of listens, the Arcade Fire like shouts of "Ho" and "Hey" are really a bit off-putting. Then there's a chorus sung by lead singer and guitarist Wesley Schultz that is irresistible. Put them together after a few more listens and you a have a sparse, romantic singalong. And those sparse arrangements on "The Lumineers" really let the songs breathe easy. "Classy Girls", "Dead Sea" and "Stubborn Love" all have nice hooks that never get bogged down by too many big ideas. It's attractive because it's so carefree. Drummer Jeremiah Fraites lends a gentle back beat on these ditties and Neyla Pekarek provides a perfect blend of accordion, piano or whatever instrument she can to the party.

Lyrically, the band is hit or miss. I think they work better on songs showing some youthful exuberance. For instance, when Schultz tells a tale of picking up a girl ("Oh, classy girls don't kiss in bars like this") who is out of his league ("She spoke of places I had never been") on "Classy Girls", it's nothing short of charming. The same can be said when Schultz spits out a naive cliche ("It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all") on "Stubborn Love". When The Lumineers stick to an innocent theme that fit their songs, they are truly fascinating. When they tackle heavier themes like banal social commentary ("Big Parade"), war ("Submarines", "Charlie Boy") or jealous heartbreak ("Morning Song"), The Lumineers sound becomes a bit fatigued or with the case of the Billy Joel like "Big Parade", just corny. Also, the meandering "Slow It Down" which settles right in the middle of the debut, is a song I just don't enjoy. It's unfortunate placement on the debut gives it a couple points deduction from me.

Basically, The Lumineers have put together a fine debut. There are moments that are memorable and some that are not. When songs hit, they are truly something you want to tell friends and other music lovers about. As a whole, for me, it comes off a bit safe (less than more though) for me to say it's going to be a favorite of 2012. Yes, there are some great moments and yes I'll understand (my music snob days are way behind me) when people tout how much they like this new band. So if you like folk-pop music with a little Americana mixed in...why look any further? The Lumineers are waiting to be discovered.

JHO Picks: Classy Girls, Dead Sea, Ho Hey, Stubborn Love

Source: http://www.jhostation.com/2012/05/new-music-review-lumineers-lumineers.html

The Unicorns MGMT Two Door Cinema Club of Montreal