The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea

On their third trip around the indie rock block, Brooklyn collective The Essex Green reaches the pinnacle of their career--so far. Cannibal Sea is an seemingly effortless foray into psychedelic pop, country-pop meanderings, and straight-up indie pop. The term suits every second of the record's dozen tracks, which are the culmination of three songwriters--Chris Ziter, Sasha Bell, and Jeff Baron. Where Baron and Bell have forged a beaming indie pop identity with Ladybug Transistor, Ziter has a past with the two in The Sixth Great Lake. With a trio (two males and one lady) at the record's foundation, comparisons to The New Pornographers aren't unwarranted claims; the similarities end at individual personalities and musical characteristics, but The Essex Green is much easier to digest. Cannibal Sea pulls its nuances from a mishmash of like-minded artists who put the heaviest importance on melody and harmony. While the band depends on the past to inform their sound, there's also an intense reliance on their modern counterparts--The Shins (minus the quirkiness), Jens Lekman (without the sense of arrangement), or the aforementioned New Pornos. Songs tend to be straightforward affairs, keys pumping and harmonies flying high. "Penny & Jack" illustrates indecisiveness between a couple as Ziter and Bell take turns on the verses before revving up for sweet-as-honey harmonies on the chorus; while "Rue de Lis" is stripped-down and simple, its genial approach making for a pleasantly unforgettable number. "Rabbit" is a more serious, ominous track making use of strings and an M. Ward-ish demeanor. The rest hold their own, easily, but reviews aren't supposed to spoil all the surprises. Cannibal Sea is easily one of the indie pop's most notable of 2006; the record is relentlessly enjoyable and surprising, the cooperation between the band is admirable, and their output is stellar. [www.mergerecords.com]