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this is an old review of our first cd that ran in the Portland Phoenix but i just re-stumbled across it.
In addition to the Brown Bird and Dead End Armory albums here are two recent Peapod releases
By SAM PFEIFLE
May 7, 2008
A slow sting
The bad news is that Wendy Weihs has moved to Los Angeles and taken her voice with her. The good news is that Baltimore’s remaining HEARTS BY DARTS, long-time conspirators Sei Petersen and Mike Evitts, captured an album’s worth before she left and continue on with designs for a new lead singer. On their self-titled debut, released in late March on Peapod, they have forged an ethereal collection of guitar-drenched dirges that can be surprisingly uplifting and melodic, a cross between My Bloody Valentine and local acts like Anna’s Ghost and Matt Rock (accordion fans, both), or Seekonk, but less pretty.
The Darts, HXD to insiders, have some classic indie pop-rock tendencies — riding two notes instead of strumming chords, absent or subtle choruses, purposefully sour vocals at times — but often slow things down to an Idaho/Low kind of grind, where it’s hard to find the rock or the pop. Still, they can write a hook. “Cumulus,” opening with a muffled kick drum and snare, joined by an accordion and bass, then a bit of clangy guitar, features an irresistible central phrase: “He talks/So much/About the weather/But never steps outside.” There’s something about that “steps outside,” instead of maybe “goes outside,” that says something about the good choices the band make, with small flourishes in the back melody or the way instruments finish riffs in unison, or a verse of “la, la, la, la, la” five times in a row.
This is a smart, thoughtful album (you’ve got to love a couplet like “The friend of my friend becomes my enemy/And there’s more of you for me”) you can simply let wash over you like an incoming tide. You might not notice each inch of creep, but you’ll find yourself neck deep nonetheless.
3:03 PM
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