Treble Charger
Wide Awake Bored
BMG Music
I said once that Treble Charger tunes have hooks more infectious than ebola. I’m happy to report that the band has settled into a chronic case of enteric excellence.
The band’s latest effort, oddly titled and ready to kick-start one’s attitude with eleven pieces of prickly pop, is the finest yet. The guys haven’t lost their ear for a tuneful ditty, but their music has matured and progressed to a point dangerously close to perfection. It’s a rare treat to hear a band which, on the one hand, has managed to keep a firm grasp on its signature sound while, on the other, has evolved into a much more sophisticated musical collage of sounds and techniques. The music here has a comfortable feel of familiarity, yet it neither mimics nor mocks. It does put an interesting spin on the work-a-day world and the accompanying angst.
The songs have a way of taking a common phrase and twisting it just so, resulting in a wry, perhaps tongue-in-cheek poke at life from an unusual perspective. In “American Psycho,” which has been enjoying considerable airplay on KROC, we encounter the line “No matter where I turn, I can’t escape your double face.” Change a couple words and it becomes trite, but as is, it is interesting and thoughtful.
These guys have a winner with Wide Awake Bored. I recommend you give it a spin; you will be immediately infected. Contact the band through its Web site: http://www.treblecharger.com.
