The Oranges Band - The World and Everything In It
Reviewed by aarik
Lest the approaching days of winter bring about the malaise and apathy so easily felt during the season, The Oranges Band have provided a perfect escape. The newest record by the Baltimore quartet is the musical equivalent of a lazy summer day at the shore and should provide ample medicine for anyone wishing to hold winter at bay, if only for a few more days at least. The Oranges Band has been compared to artists like Spoon (for whom frontman Roman Kuebler once served as touring bassist) and The Shins, and they certainly employ the same sense of melodic ease as those bands. In their harmonic progressions and guitar riffs, however, there is a kinship to groups like Weezer and The Strokes. The World & Everything In It intermingles all of those elements to create a highly sedated and delightfully tuneful approach to garage rock. Kuebler once dubbed the band’s sound as “pop surf music with vocals,” and his description rings true. Tracks like “Open Air” and “Ride the Nuclear Wave” discuss the themes of summer with a carefree abandon that is appropriately refreshing. Kuebler is a gifted vocalist, and the harmonic support his bandmates provide contributes to the album’s tone and overall attitude. The group displays musical diversity on “The Mountain” by letting the surf tones of the opening guitar riff evolve into an up-tempo New Wave rocker. Closing track “Evil’s Where You Want It to Be” proves to be the most interesting and enjoyable piece on the album as the band meanders through several textures on their way to achieving a retro, psychedelic rock vibe. The only downside to The World & Everything In It is that the monochromatic nature of the material causes the album’s second half to drag a bit. Fortunately, the album is not long enough for this to be a major issue. The Oranges Band has put forth a highly enjoyable album that is unpretentious and uncluttered. Like a perfect summer day, there is nothing substantial going on here, and like a perfect summer day, that’s alright. [www.theorangesband.com]