Populations

They Say...

Review by Ned Raggett, All Music Guide

The Caribbean's pursuit of a musical career well-removed from the scene as such -- a part, yet apart -- is an understandable approach, finding the balance between living life and pursuing the muse. As backstory it adds a certain air to hearing their work but ultimately it must stand or fall on its own merits, and Populations shows again that the group is enjoyable, even though their work tends to blend into the milieu much like its members prefer to do in life. The feeling of the songs parallels (but it should be said hardly clones) that of Lifter Puller and the Hold Steady; while Michael Kentoff is singing over much different music than that which Craig Finn likes, both aim for a certain kind of observational reflection via sometimes quietly dramatic lyrics that read as very short stories more than as "poetry," as such. Similarly there's a self-awareness at play near-constantly -- to quote from "The Ill-Fated Cougar," "I wonder if they'll manage to find all of our half-inch tapes in the dust. Yeah -- what a world they'll hear." It's a fine approach, but the music is simultaneously skilled and somehow no more than enjoyable, touching gently on a variety of indie rock touchstones of recent decades but rarely locking into a distinct sound beyond friendly enough combinations of familiar instrumentation with a bit of a rough edge here and there. Whirring electronic loops below acoustic guitar, sighing harmonies, occasional big drums, it's all very pleasant, but it rarely conveys a sense of being truly memorable for anyone beyond an appreciative fan base. Still, credit for an attention-getting song title in "Stockhausen Serves Imperialism."