Michael Barrett - Couches and Carpet
(Planting Seeds)
Argyle Heir, a new album from The Ladybug Transistor is set to be
released in less than two weeks on May 22, 2001, more than two years
since the band's last album, the magnificent Albemarle Sound. Of course,
the members of The Ladybug Transistor have not been out of music since
then, as side projects of the band, Essex Green and The Sixth Great
Lake, have released several items since Albemarle Sound. In the months
just before Argyle Heir, two more items have been added to the impressive
collection of Transistor-related material, the first full length
from The
Sixth Great Lake and this debut solo album from Michael Barrett.
Barrett is a fill-in drummer for The Ladybug Transistor (he recorded
with the band on Albemarle Sound and has played on several tours) and
is a writer and drummer for the band's two other related projects,
Essex Green and The Sixth Great Lake. In fact, Essex Green is somewhat
like a reincarnation of Guppyboy, of which Barrett was also a member.
With this long list of bands, several styles of 60s and 70s rehash
are represented: with Essex Green you have psychedelic pop, with The Sixth
Great Lake you have full-band folk, and with The Ladybug Transistor
you have California pop. For Barrett's debut solo album, Couches
and Carpet, he dabbles in all three of those styles and adds a few
of his own to create a mishmash of songs with many straightforward
moments and many weird experiments, some that work and some that sound
very underdeveloped.
On "The Beach Song," Barrett finds a pretty melody to play on his
guitar and backs it well with a tambourine-sounding acoustic guitar
strum and a flute. However, the song ends after two minutes, and the
beautiful centerpiece seems wasted on a party where everyone leaves
early. More developed songs sometimes don't turn out any better, as
the over four minute "Cherry Red Wine Lips" is an annoying song with
no melody to speak of and very childish lyrics. Some of Barrett's pop songs work
though, like "Marlborough Farms" (named after The Ladybug's Brooklyn
home), which has a nice, gentle sway to it.
Considering how big a part vocals are to all The Ladybug Transistor-related
bands, it's the instrumental songs on Couches and Carpet that end up be
the strongest. Barrett's voice isn't as strong as his cohorts, and
he is almost better off not singing, especially when his lyrics are never
very good and sometimes can be corny. On the instrumental "Cool Wave,"
Barrett switches back and forth between three different
melodies of varying tempo, one on the guitar,
one on a bass, and one on a synth. The song is very laid back and soothing.
There are several experimental oddities on the album, and some work out
very well. "Queen Cherry Red" starts off with odd fluctuating sounds,
like a spooky ride through a haunted house, but eventually turns into
a Dick Dale-esque surf guitar song. Some of these experimental songs
just end up sounding weird, though, when placed beside Barrett's
twee, like the bonus tracks, which sound like some sort of childhood
nightmare.
Based on Barrett's photo in the inside cover, it's clear that he looks
the part. This guy totally has the Beach Boys sun-bleached, bowl
haircut down. I only wish his music was as good a Beach Boys knockoff
as his hair.
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