it's an extract from my FIBLAR entry about Wavves due for Saturday, thought i'd post it, enjoy
‘Wavves’ (the debut album), 2008
‘Wavves’ (the
album) was released on independent label Woodsist in September of 2008,
(originally on cassette, but later on CD/LP format) - it was originally a one-man
band with San Diegan 22-year old slacker Nathan Williams (under the name
Wavves), recording his debut lo-fi album on a laptop computer in his parents’
garage during times of unemployment. Williams posted the album on his blog,
Ghost Ramp, and generated a fair bit of hype throughout the blogosphere of the
time, yet despite this, the album is perhaps the lesser-known in the Wavves catalogue-
with few standout tracks in comparison to their later releases, one of them
being the song ‘Wavves’ (that’s right: ‘Wavves’ by Wavves from the album ‘Wavves’).
The album is an energetic, yet strangely, an almost-offhand flurry of simple
but addictive guitar riffs and melodies soaked in layers of abrasive
lo-fidelity distortion-y goodness. Featuring less than sophisticated and, in
equal measure, difficult to decipher hooks revolving around weed, going to the
beach, and boredom, this album could be deemed aesthetically pleasing to the
adolescent and young adult demographic. Although the coarse lo-fi harshness of
the majority throughout the album may seem a little grinding on the ears after
a while and considered a turn-off to some listeners (Personally I agree - at
times I feel like I really can’t listen to the album all the way through
because of the sheer noise) the album also features some unexpected calm tracks
halfway through (specifically ‘Vermin’) which are very soothing to the ears.
Overall a diamond in the rough – simple, catchy, pop punk tracks with a strong,
lovable slacker aesthetic to them- although not sophisticated, definitely fun
to listen to; however the lo-fi distortion can really take away the pleasure of
listening to it for prolonged amounts of time (not necessarily painful to the
ears can potentially distract you and reduce the songs to a drone of
over-modulation, but that might just be me.)
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