Miranda Sound - Western Reserve

Certain types of images are conjured when one tries to picture local music.

At the very bottom rung of this figurative ladder is the quintessential local band: a bunch of shaggy late-teens to twenty-somethings playing in a dive-bar, possibly new to their instruments, possibly intoxicated. This band makes noise that is cringe-inspiring to young children and the elderly alike. They will play songs about their dead-end jobs, which eventually become their dead-end careers when the band tanks (just when they were totally about to make it).

While this stereotype originates in truth, as most stereotypes do, bands like Miranda Sound are fighting the good fight for quality music local to our fair metropolis. Western Reserve, released on Columbus label Sunken Treasure Records, is Miranda Sound’s third full-length album.

The members of Miranda Sound list among their major influences Jawbox (the legendary J. Robbins was a member) and The Dismemberment Plan (whom Robbins worked with as a producer). As fate would have it, Miranda Sound was able to enlist Robbins’ highly coveted services as a producer, engineer and guest musician on Western Reserve. According to Robert Duffy, owner of Sunken Treasure Records, Robbins agreed to work with them after hearing Engaged in Labor, Miranda Sound’s second LP.

Western Reserve thoroughly blends the band’s varied influences. From the energetic guitar driven power-pop of tracks “Jackson Milton” and “We’re Making Amends” to the offbeat, mathematical “Control” and the ethereal “Take it Where You Can Get It”, the album covers a lot of musical ground. However, it is paced and ordered so well (typical of Robbins’ projects) that the transition turns like the minute hand of a clock – so gradual that it’s barely noticeable. Robbins’ clean and able production highlights the precise rhythm of the band, fitly complementing the confidently written melodies.

The lyrics condense the struggles and insecurities experienced over a lifetime, and a Midwestern chip on the shoulder is visible at all times. This is particularly true in “The Lull of Youngstown”, which deals with making a “grand escape” from a dull and lifeless town after graduating from high school. I think anyone who grew up in Ohio can relate with that.

There are very few misses on this album, but the calculator metaphor on “Calculator for Words” is pretty lame (“multiplying adjectives and nouns you get verbs/when you finally press the equals sign”). The lyrical content as a whole is very straightforward, and it struggles a little when it strays from that.

With several songs that seem to be ready for heavy play on alternative and even mainstream radio, Western Reserve is a great achievement for the band, especially in light of the adversity they’ve had to overcome (accidents, roster changes, etc). Miranda Sound has made good use of the pressure, as Western Reserve is a polished gem of an album.

The Cinematic Underground - 4/11/06 at Neo

So I went out on a Tuesday night. I accompanied a friend to a friendly local art gallery which for one night only was home to one of the densest collection of hipsters I have ever seen -- I was absent when Clap Your Hands Say Yeah rolled into town. For the second time in the past six months, New England's The Cinematic Underground brought their veggie-powered bus to our fair city.

The smell of whitewash stung my nostrils as I noticed the white splotches on the wood grain floor. New painting. As a spectator, I was part of the display and I was art. Bunnies hung from the ceiling as a part of some sort of bunny-themed mobile (think the kind of thing that hangs over a toddler's crib -- now think of it with bunnies). There was definitely some sort of bunny exhibition going on. I love bunnies.

As I have mentioned, the irony levels in this place had reached critical mass. I saw all the tattoos, ironic Backstreet Boys shirts, tight pants, etc, that I would have expected to see at something like this if I'd had a better idea of what was going on.

The interesting thing is, though, that I had little to no expectations upon my arrival. My friend had only told me "oh, we're just going to go see some friends of mine play". I was expecting to see Shaq and the Brain Farts doing a ska cover of David Bowie or something along those lines.

A member of the CU handed me what was very much a playbill a few minutes prior to the show starting (I had missed the performance troupe Mew's opening act since I had fruitlessly ventured off in the night for something to eat. As you can see to your left, the performance had three 'scenes' and twelve total 'acts'. Especially as someone whose expectations were such a non-entity as mine were, this was something I hadn't even anticipated anticipating. Apparently, I had come to see a performance entitled Annasthesia. (for those keeping score at home, this is the title of their debut album).

Inventory of the special instruments which accompanied the normal E-Bow-toting lead guitar, bass, keys, and drums: telephone receiver, bicycle-wheel vests, trash can, goblets of water, a suitcase, an ascot, theatre lights, digital projector, and a Powerbook. Unfortunately I did not have my camera to illustrate, but these items were used in conjunction with music, dance, theatrics and lighting to create a visually stimulating experience in an intimate and bunny-filled setting. Think of the Decemeberists' as indie-rock performance Lite while The Cinematic Underground constitutes 16 oz. soy-steak.

"Writer/director" (or lead singer, for you Philistines) Nathan Johnson particularly had tons of charisma and really did a great job as presenting himself as the face of the project without distracting from artistic concept Annasthesia was striving for. His gyrating performance reminded me of the master entertainer Beck Hansen. I will abstain from making references to GWAR, but the whole package was comparable to a more avant-garde and ambient translation of the Flaming Lips. The show managed to be generally enjoyable and relatively unpretentious, probably because of the evident genuine emotion that went into it. The crowd was definitely drawn in to the experience.

I have to say I was disappointed by the recording of Annasthesia I procured. The live show had a total different mood, and it seems like the visual element could distract from any weakness the music would have, but the CU were very tight live and showed a lot of musical creativity intermixed with good old pop sensibility.

For how unique of an affair as their live show is, the CU will no doubt begin gathering some real grassroots attention. They seem to be touring in cabarets and galleries for now, but it's interesting to think of how their show would translate to theatres. If they can somehow better encapsulate the experience of their live show onto a sound recording and win over some national critics, The Cinematic Underground should have no problem selling out. Or achieving artistic nirvana atop their pile of money. Or at least getting a newer veggie-bus. Whatever.

Brief sidebar: playmaster Johnson also wrote the soundtrack for the feature film The Brick.