"I'm about to sell five copies of All the Other Animals by Skeletons with Flesh on Them." I can totally picture some chap that works at an independent record store in the Pacific Northwest reinventing the famous scene from High Fidelity in this manner - likely his favorite film - to 'suade customers into purchasing this album. And if said fellow isn't, he damn well should be.
Skeletons with Flesh on Them's debut EP, 2007's The Fish Don't Mind, was a release that I didn't see coming. But in spite of that I was greatly appreciative of what I heard on that six-song EP. Two years since its release and after six months in the studio Skeletons with Flesh on Them has produced their first full-length effort, All the Other Animals.
The band's first full-length picks up with a style that the band knows well: infectious pop-accented indie rock. "Same Moon" kickstarts the album with an upbeat and jangley guitar rock number. It's got a Pinkertonera Weezer meets
Trail of Dead mixture going on. It's the perfect introduction to the band's new album. "Ten Times" follows and it's a playful pop-rock number anchored by the guitar playing of Neal Flaherty and Scott Roots. Like many of the songs on the album it is accented with additional instrumentation - this one boasts some gentle piano keys.
Matched with the music are the diverse vocals of Roots. He jumps back and forth from melodic harmonies, soft melodies, and the occasional shouts. I often found myself referencing Sloan's Chris Murphy as I listened. His vocals are matched with backing harmonies from the rest of the group, giving the album added depth and thus avoiding thinness that plague many artists' recordings.
After repeated listens I find that Skeletons with Flesh on Them are at their best when they pull out all the stops. "Take Me Down' is a prime example of this. It's got the quirky vibe that I've come to enjoy from the group, always throwing you a curve. There are equal parts indie rock chill and Seattle grunge angst interspersed. This is definitely one of the standout tracks of All the Other Animals. "Closed System" is another of the songs that I found especially enjoyable. The band's incorporation of horns, banjo, and saxophone in addition to their standard instrumentation add a whole other listening experience to the song.
"Trail of Destruction" and "Longer Chain" demonstrate the band's tendencies towards the alt-country brand that was hinted at on the band's previous offering. There's a slight twang in the vocals of Roots, which matches the guitars and what sounds like a little hint of banjo in the background (I could be wrong though).
"Factory Song" is an acoustic sing-along song that bears a vague resemblance to the song from the end of Juno, you know the one by Moldy Peaches. "Squinting Towards the Light" is a bit of sleeper; I found it to be a bit of a moot point in the placement of the album. Perhaps if the band did an acoustic set it could work better, but I prefer the band plugged in.
The obvious comparison that most will make with Skeletons with Flesh on Them is towards Modest Mouse. And while those similarities are still present, the band has attempted to distance themselves from the copycat label with a varied affair on their debut full-length. Nevertheless, lovers of the Modest Mouse sound are going to enjoy this album, particularly the track "Not What We're Designed For."
I'm rather perplexed at the fact that this album had to be self-released as it is a rather outstanding release. Then again, perhaps they've decided the music business isn't worth fussing around with
or maybe not. Either way, Skeletons with Flesh on Them have offered a fantastic album for lovers of indie rock to enjoy.
