Found Audio
(Self-released)
Boston has long been the communal grounds for various acts throughout the years. Bands such as Aerosmith and The Lemonheads left imprints of their musical footsteps throughout the city before walking on to national fame. In Boston's neighborhood of Allston, four musicians by the name of Found Audio attempt to leave their own mark on the music scene with the LP Chalk. Unfortunately in the alt-country debut, the band seems to have trouble in developing a signature sound that reflects the music in which they are trying to create, and one that actually works.
Perhaps Found Audio's troubles begin while attempting to blend clashing genres and musical influences such as Radiohead, Nick Drake, The Meat Puppets, and Fiona Apple to create what their bio states "impossible reach with actual sound." The result is a musical clusterfuck - a mess of choppy instrumentals that sound disorganized to the ear and often times out of place. In songs such as "Walker, Riddley" and "House Rage Nights," jerky guitar chords and basic percussion beats make for tracks that are less bounce and more bore.
Many of the songs on the LP sound the same, with little variation in vocal or instrumental tone. By gorging every track with an abundance of instrumentals, each song leaves the listener wondering whether "less is more." Such a mindset may have helped the band create an album that progresses more smoothly and blends within itself without sounding awkward. While the song writing itself is poignant and poetic (with each member penning various tracks), the emotion behind each song is lost by co-singer John Bragg's monotone vocals, which often fall flat and lack emotion.
Aside from the band's musical complications, there also seems to be technical bugs within the album regarding production and mixing, such as in the case of the song "Queen of the Road." A muted, simple banjo riff begins the track when suddenly - and without any type of progression - the volume increases. Whether done intentionally or not, it almost sounds as if someone turned up the mic five seconds into the song, causing "Queen of the Road" to fail before it ever really begins.
Despite the album's prevalent issues, there are two gems buried within the clutter in "Tennessee" and "All My Things" - both back-to-back tracks in Chalk. The soft ballad "Tennessee" is touching, and thankfully not overdone - with chiming guitars and downcast drum beats that match the song's tenderness. The purely rock ‘n' rollish "All My Things" offers a different side of the band's musical spectrum when compared to its predecessor, a refreshing find within the album and a tuneful formula that really works for the band - and perhaps a formula that should be adhered to for Found Audio's next record.
DOWNLOAD: "Tennessee," "All My Things" CECILIA MARTINEZ
