American Analog Set - New Equation 7"
(Tiger Style)
To some labels, the 7" is an artform--great music, great packaging, a way of continuing the punk tradition. To other labels, the 7" is an inefficient way of cheating the kids out of another $3.50. Tiger Style is one of those other labels.
Considering the band's recent singles compilation, Through the 90s, one would expect this new American Analog Set 7" to be worthwhile, as all their previous singles have had great songs and great packaging. However, now the band is on Tiger Style, and when it comes to 7"s on Tiger Style, costs must be kept down and no great songs should be wasted. As a result, the 7"'s cover is an uninspired copy of the album cover, and the vinyl is of such low quality that some of the kids have started to call it a "flexi." Although both songs on the disc are otherwise unreleased, the music (the little of it there is) isn't so hot either.
The A-side is "New Equation," a standard American Analog Set pop keyboard drone clocking in at just over three and a half minutes. The drums keep the song upbeat, and the vocals have a mod British attitude to them, a bit different than the band's normal delivery, the song ending with a keyboard melody that bounces up and down the scales. This is an adequate song by the Set but nothing tremendous or noteworthy. The B-side is downright offensive though, much less developed than the 20 second jingle for Dr. Pepper they added to that recent singles compilation. "All I Want for Christmas" is under two minutes long, but more than half of consists entirely of barely audible singing and a keyboard note. The song makes a big jump in volume with about thirty seconds to go. Blah. They've done this trick before in the middle of lengthy, well-crafted songs, but "...Christmas" is just a worthless recording made solely to give the kids something on that other side of the vinyl.
Maybe American Analog Set stuck all their remaining decent songs on the singles compilation. However, there's no excuse for making a 7" this shoddy. It's an insult to the artform. If you want to make a teaser flexi, make it and stick it in a magazine for free. If you want to make a 7", show at least a modicum of care or thought.
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