Automatic Drawing
Captain and the Sea
Unsigned
8/10
Few bands are as impressive as Automatic Drawing. Since the band’s inception in the mid 00’s, the unsigned act has gone from a relative unknown to one of the hottest groups that no one east of the Mississippi has heard of- and that’s only in the last two years. Their status as an “it” band assured, with their sophomore album Captain and the Sea they are out to solidify their place in the pantheon of up and coming indie rock bands. Judging by their spacey guitars, harmonies, and cryptic lyrics, they are well on the road to greatness.
From the title track, with its expressive guitars and equally expressive vocals, to the fifth and final song, the album is an example of understated elegance. Listening to the record, what jumps out about the artists- there are seven band members in all, including newbie Rachel Koukar- is the band’s ability to conjure layers of moods and textures. The song “Appalachia” is prime example. The other thing is the honesty of the lyrics. With lines like “Four hundred people fell into love at a hotel/but they never seem to stay,” the group seems to summarize fleeting love in just a few syllables.
The real treats are the harmonies. The exchanges between Drew Kirkpatrick and his (apparently) un-credited female counterpart [Emperor’s Note: The “uncredited counterpart” is ex-Racketeer Diana Salier! I didn’t tell him until after he reviewed it. Well, I still haven’t told John yet,] are nothing short of beautiful. In fact, the entire interaction between the various members is captivating. It’s as though through their vocals and instruments, they are weaving a tapestry of sounds, not unlike an Afghan rug. Because that’s exactly what it sounds like (excuse the gush).
The only downside is that for a sophomore album, there aren’t as many tracks as one would like. With only five songs, it feels more like an EP or a single than a full record. That said, the songs that are on there are anything but sub-par. An appetizer to Automatic Drawing’s next course, Captain and the Sea is more than capable of cleansing the palate of all that is ill in rock music these days.
For more information about Automatic Drawing, buckle up and take a ride over to www.myspace.com/automaticdrawing.
–John Winn