Bedbug - Happiest of Hours
(Tight Spot)
It's not hard to figure out what kind of music is on Bedbug's CD. You can look at the title, Happiest of Hours. Or you can look at the kids smiling on the cover, reaching out to for you a great big hug. Or if you still can't figure it out, read the list of songs on the back cover, printed over a picture of red shag carpet. These songs include "Misadventures of An Orange Daisy Towel," "Shirts, Skirts, Flirts," and "Capitan America is Coming."
You can probably conclude that first of all, this is a CD full of pop-rock songs with clever lyrics, peppy drums, and guitars making cool noises. You might also be able to tell that this is a dude CD, with songs about superheroes, girls in miniskirts, and soccer games. However, being a girl, I can safely say that it can be appealing for us, too.
Bedbug is from Austin, Texas, and this is their debut album. "Misadventures of An Orange Daisy Towel" features a vintage keyboard coming in at appropriate moments, bright drums throughout, a larky melody, and, backed up by a warm bass, a guitar that switches from solid chords to these little "wah wah" noises every once in a while. The song sets the mood for the rest of the album. The music is friendly and warm, and every instrument on this album is so expressive; you can tell these guys are playing their hearts out.
Chris Hillen and Chris Smith's guitars add much personality to Happiest of Hours. The guitars are quite dynamic and their chords can change from soft to playful to aggressive at different parts of a song. Don Clark's drumming is always fairly constant and full but can get bright depending on the mood of the song. Joe Salinas' bass, while more prominent in some songs than others, sounds perfect in songs such as "Assets Aligned," in which the guitar changes mood quite a bit. Chris and Joe also have inviting voices, whether chanting soccer scores or singing tenderly.
Bedbug's music is fun and attractive, with songs that are neatly packaged, but not necessarily boring. There is always a catchy melody and interesting instrumentation--Bedbug knows how to put a good rock song together.
|
