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Avg: 3.5 (18 ratings)
- Date Released: April 21, 2009
- Genre: Rock/Pop
- Style: Commercial Alternative, Rock
- Label: Park the Van / The Orchard
Garage-poppers swing for the fences on their fourth full-length
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We Say...
Doing things by halves doesn't much seem to appeal to Detroit trio the High Strung. The group swings for the fences with their fourth album, which is dedicated to ur-slacker Jeff Lebowski's Bizarro counterpart. Ode… sets its sights high with the opening track, "Standing at the Door of Self-Discovery," whose weighty title is (thankfully) balanced with an exuberant sing-along.
Though the band doesn't stray too far from its garage-pop roots, the ample embellishment pushes the songs in different directions, from the horn-driven soul of "Out of Character" to the warped piano and strained vocals of "Real Stone," which steps a foot into Guided by Voices' territory. Singer Josh Malerman doesn't shy away from big themes, although he inevitably overreaches. The desire to break free from the feelings of culpability he expresses in "Guilt Is How I'm Built" is familiar enough, but "Anything short of murder shouldn't alter how I feel" sounds more like a recipe for sociopathy than emancipation. Still, it's easy to get swept up in the onrush of "Out of Character," a more modest plea for personal freedom, or succumb to the plaintive acoustic pledges of "I Got Your Back."
If it's not as varied as 2005's sprawling Get the Guests, Ode… still covers an impressive amount of territory — fitting for a band who prides themselves on their road-warrior touring ethic (not to mention their penchant for playing all-ages shows at public libraries). They may not know how to tie a room together, but the High Strung have plenty else on offer. -
They Say...
Having severed ties with Detroit several years prior, the High Strung emphasize pop melodies and loose, laid-back instrumentation on Ode to the Inverse of the Dude, leaving behind the garage rock influences that previously dotted their albums. Ode's newfound affability seems to take its cues from the band's touring ethic, a relentless obligation to the road that sometimes yields upwards of 300 shows a year. The High Strung haven't turned into a jam band as a result, but a groovy undercurrent does float beneath these 11 songs, which replace the band's former strut with good vibes and a whimsical bounce. "Standing at the Door of Self Discovery" opens the album with gang vocals and a simple refrain, having been seemingly designed to encourage audience participation in a live setting, while "Real Stone" marries light piano chords with such commands as "penny up for the Oreos!" Few songs truly stand out here -- not because the material is poor, but because the bandmates no longer split their time between power pop and gritty psychedelia, thus leaving the track list to be dominated by the former genre. Ode to the Inverse of the Dude is still a wholly pleasant listen, however, timely released at the onset of warm weather and aptly indicative of the band's strength as a live act.
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| 01. |  |
Standing at the Door of Self Discovery |
2:49 |
|
| 02. | |
Real Stone |
3:03 |
|
| 03. | |
The Lifestyle That Got Away |
2:34 |
|
| 04. | |
Out of Character |
2:10 |
|
| 05. | |
In The Middle |
2:26 |
|
| 06. | |
Guilt Is How I'm Built |
2:31 |
|
| 07. | |
I Got Your Back |
2:18 |
|
| 08. | |
Bad With My Hands |
2:27 |
|
| 09. | |
Anyone |
3:12 |
|
| 10. | |
Rope |
2:51 |
|
| 11. | |
House Party |
3:42 |
|
11 Total Tracks, 30:03 Total Length
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Credits
- Eddie Ashworth - Strings // Eddie Ashworth - Arranger // John Forbes - Mastering // Thomas Dean - Artwork // Thomas Dean - Layout Design // Derek Berk - Guitar // Derek Berk - Percussion // Derek Berk - Drums // Derek Berk - Vocals // Derek Berk - Vocals (Background) // Derek Berk - Group Member // Josh Malerman - Bass // Josh Malerman - Guitar // Josh Malerman - Arranger // Josh Malerman - Keyboards // Josh Malerman - Vocals // Josh Malerman - Sequencing // Josh Malerman - Group Member // Chad Stocker - Bass // Chad Stocker - Guitar // Chad Stocker - Piano // Chad Stocker - Keyboards // Chad Stocker - Vocals // Chad Stocker - Vocals (Background) // Chad Stocker - Producer // Chad Stocker - Engineer // Chad Stocker - Mixing // Chad Stocker - Guitar (12 String Acoustic) // Chad Stocker - Group Member // Greg Boggs - Engineer // Josh Antonuccio - Arranger // Michele Bartos - Strings // Brittany Lesch - Strings // Sarah Schaaf - Engineer // Ricky Chilcott - Engineer // Peter Lutek - Clarinet // Peter Lutek - Saxophone // Peter Lutek - Horn Arrangements // Ryan Malerman - Sequencing
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