The Dead Trees
King of Rosa
Milan Records
7/10
Think of shrill bands, and about a half a dozen spring to mind. Asked to identify mellower groups and maybe a handful of talented groups can be counted on one hand. None are mellower than The Dead Trees. Originally from Boston, the Portland, Oregon based group is quickly earning a reputation as a counterweight to the glut of scream-o and teen music that’s personified FM radio for almost a decade. With their sophomore album King of Rosa, the quartet featuring Matt Simon on guitar and Michael Cummings on vocals is proving that they have what it takes to lay down tracks that are as whimsical as they are mild. But despite their critical success, there is much for them to improve on. And a lifetime’s worth of a career to do it.
To be frank, it is difficult to focus on a single track that sums up the album. Two of the songs, “OK Standby” and “Shelter,” recall the best of Weezer and Dinosaur Jr. “My Friend Joan, She Never Asks” and “Killer in Me” bring to mind early Beatles, to say nothing of Gish era Smashing Pumpkins. It is good company to be with, certainly. Cumming’s irreverent, Stipe-like vocals on the title track (“Tell me what you want/ I kind of need it”) add to the album’s cool demeanor. The fact that the words seemingly roll of his tongue is equally as impressive.
While the first half of the album is a K.O., the rest of the album is like a bout that has been won by decision. Instead of being offbeat, many of the songs come off as repetitive, even derivative. At the same time, they aren’t stinkers either. Given enough time, it is entirely possible that the band will figure out how to avoid the pitfalls of the “Sophomore slump”. But overall, this is a highly thought out- and addictive- record that begs to be played in the 5-CD disc changer in the car. There is no telling what the future may hold for the boys from Portland. But regardless, it is promising.