Tiger Saw
Tigers on Fire
Tract
There’s not much in Tiger Saw’s back catalog to prepare a fan for the bursts of white boy soul peppered throughout Tigers on Fire. Head Tiger Dylan Metrano freely admits to a burgeoning interest in classic R&B but the translation into his indie rock soundscape doesn’t hold up as well as hoped. The introductory title track isn’t bad, its naked instrumentation is just too anemic a framework for the repeated refrain of “lay down, lay down” to hold much weight. The same can be said for the ramshackle funk of “Kick and Snare” which doesn’t interlock nearly well enough to do justice to the genre. The subtle tropicalia of “Under the Samba Moon” rings more true, melding island sounds with the group’s penchant for melancholy. Picking up the slack are tracks like the cover of Hotel Alexis’ “OK.” It’s sublime acoustic guitar and chord organ treatment is beautifully simple and it, along with the lilting instrumental “Aili” that follows it up, is truly where Metrano excels. It’s obvious he wants to let loose and cut through the slow-core Tiger Saw is most closely associated with, but his songwriting and singing styles are better suited for different realms than these dance floor invitations.
Tract Records: http://www.tractrecords.com
