Melochrome
Stay a Little Longer
Loose Thread
Requirements for listening to Melochrome are as follows: a perfect night of restful sleep and an attention span comparable to that of God. If either of these prerequisites are not met, appreciation of this band is virtually impossible. Melochrome • or more appropriately, “Mellow-chrome” • will put you to sleep faster than an overdose of Ny-Quil, and it’ll no doubt give you boring dreams, as well. Stay a Little Longer is full of pop tunes that got stretched to their utmost possible limits, with the aimless lyrics practically drowning in musical interludes that feature no focal point or interesting solo whatsoever. Even with a host of promising instruments • lap steel, e-bow, organ, and more • the band manages to bury them instead of prominently utilize them, creating what is really nothing more than a complicated and eclectically boring sound. The vocals come in two styles: a male, who sounds as if his own music has coaxed him into unconsciousness, and a female, whose off-tune, high-pitched warble slowly invades the listening ear like Chinese water torture. It seems that the band tried for a pretty sound, but somehow forgot to include a sprinkle of life. It’s not that Melochrome is completely awful to hear; its humdrum effect just makes you antsy for something • anything • else.
Loose Thread Records, PO Box 220180, Chicago, IL 60622
