THE FRESH & ONLYS

House of Spirits

2014-06-16

   House of Spirits is the fifth release from San Francisco band, The Fresh & Onlys. For this one, the band explores sub-genres of the alt-rock sound.  At times keyboards back morose vocals, a-la mid-80's new wave ("Home is Where").  Other times the vocals sport 00's-style indie rock reverb ("I'm Awake", "April Fools", "Candy"). Yet at other times the songs have fuzzy shoe-gaze guitar ("Bells of Paonia"). Then there is the garage rock of "Hummingbird".  These songs seem to ride the cusp of these sub-genres of rock, with the band never fully embracing the sound.  All the songs have an underlying blandness.  Perhaps its the continuity of Tim Cohen's vocals that ties the songs together in this way.  All in all, this album is listenable, but there is nothing here that makes me want to take a second listen.      

Rebecca Ruth   

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Rock

  • reviewed 06/2004

    Glenn Tilbrook
    Transatlantic Ping Pong

  • reviewed 04/2010

    MAYER HAWTHORNE
    A Strange Arrangement

  • reviewed 05/2007

    ELLIOT SMITH
    New Moon

  • reviewed 12/2010

    OVER THE RHINE
    The Long Surrender

  • reviewed 07/2004

    Martina Topley-Bird
    Anything

  • reviewed 10/2015

    Pete Kennedy
    Heart Of Gotham

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.