Sine we’ve had two video premieres from Life In A Blender, it’s time for a review of their most recent album, Bent By The Weather. If you’re not familiar with this venerable New York-based band, here’s a brief bio, courtesy of their website:
“For over 25 years, Life in a Blender has been the canvas for singer and songwriter Don Rauf’s blackly comic landscapes. The group has released albums ranging from screaming punk to orchestrated chamber pop, and has brought the high theatrics of its live act to stages from Berlin to Austin to Toronto to Brooklyn and Seattle.
Don Rauf formed the band with high school friend Dave Moody (then bassist, now cellist), and within a couple of years had acquired the drumming services of Ken Meyer. Guitarist Al Houghton and bassist Mark Lerner joined in 1992, and violinist Rebecca Weiner Tompkins signed on in 1993. While the band’s core lineup has remained remarkably constant for the past 18 years, the list of former members, guest artists, and collaborators includes Chris Butler (The Waitresses, Tin Huey), Chris Rael (Church of Betty), Jonathan Gregg, John Linnell (They Might Be Giants), Gavin Smith (Les Sans Culottes), Susan Hwang (Debutante Hour), Brian Dewan, and Olivier Conan (Chicha Libre, Las Rubias Del Norte).”
So now to the music, which was released in January of last year, and I’ve now been able to sit down and absorb the entire package: the track “Rowan & Martin”, which was last week’s video debut, is a wry, darkly humorous piece that has a direct narrative and an atmospheric musical structure with tight harmonies; “Crater On The Moon” is a skewed mixture of dissonance and pop sensibility – think Stump mixed with interludes of Smile-era Beach Boys; “On The Sand” is a softly warm and lush piece with cinematic imagery in the lyrics and time shifts that keep it riveting – very powerful.
“Terrible Truth” is an upbeat pop number, with classic rock structure – very early ’60’s groove for a psycho sock hop (!); “Place At The Table” is a mid-tempo jazz-pop item with beautifully ethereal guitar figures until the middle, when it picks up tempo and speeds on like a runaway train and shifts direction completely in a brilliantly twisted way and “Hole In The Sky” is a mysteriously sly track, shrouded with vibes, brass and then goes into a funky, clever mode.
Life In A Blender is one of the more interesting and compelling bands to offer different musical styles (sometimes at once), which makes them so much more weighty than others. This is a fine collection of songs. Listen to the entire album – you will be able to find a place in your head for it.
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Bent By The Weather is currently available