Rating: 3 Pulses
The cello sounds are very nice and soothing: that’s my initial impression after first listening to Baby Teeth Thieves’ CD. This instrument would probably be identified as the lead in most sections.
Casey Kaufman’s voice is also very comforting, soothing and beautiful. There’s nothing incredibly elaborate about it, but it still leaves one of the more lasting memories from the music of BTT. She doesn’t oversing, doesn’t undersing; it’s delicate, but still steady and confident.
The male and female voices don’t exactly have the same style and don’t necessarily complement each other perfectly, but it’s more of a contrast than clash. The female just sounds a little more effortless and natural. In the bubbly “I Think You’re a Birdbrain,” the male takes a split second to rise and find the correct high pitch, while the female comes straight into her pitch, unwavering; it seems a little closer to her natural conversational tone. Still, this more upbeat song and its vocal collaboration (“I’ll be the one to set you free . . .”) is one of the record’s high points.
I don’t really know who is delivering the male vocal, because while the text in the CD case does contain a passage from A. Marvell’s “The Garden” concluding with the album title, it doesn’t list the actual performers on the record. A visit to the group’s myspace reveals Trey, Jeremi and Devin share in the vocal duties, but who’s where, I’m not sure.
The absence of everyone’s name and contributions in the CD notes could promote a more collective aesthetic that the sum is greater than the parts.
Musically, “Green Shade” leaves the impression of drifting, floating through a surreal haze. It’s more of a wash than a collection of memorable hooks or melodies. Perhaps it’s more impressionistic than realist, if we were talking about paintings.
Baby Teeth Thieves play music to zone out to, not to cruise to or blast at a dance party. If a listener wants to escape and relax, this record could be a prime selection; I don’t really hear a “radio single” though, college radio, maybe. However, the line “The nipple that feeds me” (from “Hard Candy Moon”) certainly sticks in my head due to the amount of times it’s repeated.
Drums, particular toms, are pretty loud, and have an “echoey” sustain and do slightly overpower the more subdued and delicate strings and vocals.
Finally, the six-song EP is somewhat short. Why do artists not fill an entire CD with material if they’re going to the trouble to record, produce and package a record anyway? In this case it could be an opportunity to explore sounds and tones more and incorporate a little more variety.
In any case, the listener gets a good idea of what the collection of Murfreesboro musicians known as the Baby Teeth Thieves are all about from this offering.
Catch Baby Teeth Thieves Saturday, April 25, at House Pride with Ribbonpigeon and Br’er.
