Castanets
First Light’s Freeze
Asthmatic Kitty
I dislike feeling in the dark when it comes to quality indie rock. After attempting to crack the code to Castanets’ previous album and their recent, near mirror effort, I’m still in need of someone willing to tell me what it is that I’m missing. There’s nothing on First Light’s Freeze that I feel is particularly objectionable; it’s just lacking in inspiration. Head Castanet Raymond Reposa writes decent minimalist songs, but he his voice doesn’t ring as weary as the rugged ambience he’s attempting to create demands. It simply sounds too Saddle Creek, and too O.C.-ready for me.
What really gets me about this album is the lack of progression from the last. Reposa even maintains the same programming order, having his lyric songs interspersed with short-lived instrumentals. Of course, I might be alone on this. His last release was well-received in quite a few circles, and it stands to reason that those same folks will enjoy another similar song cycle from the band. Me, I’ll just wrestle with the confusion for another year and hope Reposa can do something to break the mold the next time around.
Asthmatic Kitty: http://www.asthmatickitty.com
