Whether tribute, parody, or accident, Christian Hjelm's vocal style is not original. While his accented lisp draws comparisons to Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock, he spends the majority of the album doing his best impression of Built to Spill's Doug Martsch. Although this con-artistry is unarguable, he gradually nuances his own voice over the course of the album, especially with repeat listening.
Skeleton opens with "Race You," what can only be described as a way for listeners to immediately make the connection to Brock. Hjelm's lispy voice, only accompanied by piano, has nowhere to hide - yet, the Figurines' fuzzed out guitars hide this well enough by the time "The Wonder" begins. For the most part, the rest of the album follows this same formula of catchy rock backed by lo-fi guitars.
The Figurines stumble a bit on "Ghost Towns," as incorporating the banjo into indie rock isn't their strong suit. Ending with "Release Me on the Floor," the Figurines make another mistake, as the first few bars have a familiar hint of Modest Mouse's "Heart Cooks Brain" - just as the listener was beginning to forget about that comparison.
THE HAPS: A catchy, solid effort - but the Figurines don't create anything special enough to excuse themselves for ripping off artists who are dripping with indie cred.
