Wavering Saints - Collusion EP

The background information on Stockton, CA's Wavering Saints is nearly non-existent, as far as fruitless net searches have shown. No homepage for the band, other than the Central District Records site, is to be found. Though, indie e-store Amp Camp does give a brief biography of the band, telling that they're staunch believers in the DIY ethic and have recently re-emerged from an extended hiatus (they officially formed in 1997, but apparently didn't get too far from the local scene) to release the 12" Strike Date EP in 2004. Collusion is a hodgepodge of indie rockery; the half dozen tracks strike out with lo-fi production, oozing with early '90s influence. It's tempting to tag Wavering Saints as slacker rock, and had they blossomed immediately after the grunge era started to disentrigrate, you'd have found them opening for Sebadoh, Pavement, and Yo La Tengo. Opener "Subtle Believers" is a wonderfully lackadaisical, fuzzed-out throwback to a decade ago. "Strike Date" takes an entirely different approach, rejecting all instruments save for a muddied acoustic guitar and vocal warmth that is undeniable, though the track itself exudes a one-take approach to the recording. "Homeless Teeth Transportation" seems hopelessly out of place, a drum machine-backed number soaked in incoherent vocals and really little to offer even the most complacent listener. The whole of "I'll Take Care of You" is misleading, for its 59 seconds builds an anticipation for a climax that never happens. Likewise, "Tour the Shit Out of This Motherfucker," at least in title, calls for something more than effects pedal-tinkering and high-hat tampering, but that's about all it offers. Yet, despite the past three tracks' weaknesses, Wavering Saints seemed resolute on ending the EP with as much strength as its beginning. "Magentic" is serene, making amends for the mid-album meddling with somber vocals and the most effective and emotive use of brass on an indie rock album this side of In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Three solid tracks and another three that are puzzling as to their inclusion is a fair summation of this short-player, and the less-desirable half really only plays a minimal role. When Wavering Saints take the task of creating a song, they prove it's a task tackled and conquered. [www.myspace.com]