Halo Benders
The Rebels Not In
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Halo Benders
The Rebels Not In
K, 1998
RiYL: Built To Spill, Beat Happening, Dub Narcotic Sound System |
Even though I react to his records with Beat Happening and then the Dub Narcotic Sound System with apathy or outright hostility, Johnson proves on at least a few of the tracks on third Halo Benders album The Rebels Not In that he's got some sort of gift. It's not a traditional or easily appreciated one, but this is a good record.
Doug Martsch's gifts, however, are easily appreciated. And on "Virginia Reel Around The Fountain" and "Foggy Bottom" and a few other songs here, we're getting what are essentially Built To Spill songs with additional vocal tracks overdubbed by Johnson. Not surprisingly, these are the easiest tracks on the album to get into. On "Reel," Martsch sings sweetly over a prototypical soup of guitar overdubs, simple drumbeats, and linear basslines while Johnson, way down in the mix, mumbles square dance calls about belly buttons: "Innie / Outie / I don't care / DO-SI-DO!" I'd be surprised if Calvin had anything at all to do with the lovely instrumental "Rebels Got A Hole In It," whose simple, plucky little guitar melodies are so textbook Martsch they should have a warning sticker.
The more Johnson-heavy songs, which benefit as you'd expect from the very proficient Martsch-led band, demonstrate that there does exist a certain charm in Calvin's simple songwriting. Trouble is, the guy just can't sing in key. "Surfer's Haze" and "Devil City Destiny" lose the fine band performances under tuneless vocals from CJ. The Halo Benders manage to strike a balance, and make the album ultimately a success, on tunes like "Bury Me" and "Love Travels Faster," where Doug sings pretty counterpoint to Calvin's monotone, providing just enough chorus relief and bringing the listener's attention back to the rocking music. On "Turn It My Way" Johnson even manages to attach something resembling a melody to his sweet lyrics, creating the album's best sprightly love song.
Built To Spill fans will probably have their attention redirected to this record, if they don't own it already, by the inclusion of a Johnson-less "Virginia Reel Around On The Fountain" on the BTS Live album. Is it worth getting? Well, the studio, overdubby "Fountain" is vastly superior to the live version, and Johnson's vocals are more of interesting additional element than a distraction. "Bury Me" and "Foggy Bottom" have perfect little Martsch guitar riffs that BTS fans will want to hear. How much you'll enjoy the rest of the record depends on whether you can get comfortable with Calvin Johnson's singing.
I'm told The Rebels Not In is the most Martsch-influenced of the Halo Benders' three albums, based on that advice, I probably won't be getting any of the others real soon. But I will be listening to this one.
MARK T.R. DONOHUE | Mark T.R. Donohue is a prolific freelance writer whose areas of expertise include Rockies baseball, video games, genre television, English soccer, and pub rock. He lives in Colorado, where he cultivates the largest and creepiest private collection of Alyson Hannigan memorabilia in the Mountain West.