Halifax Pier - Put Your Gloves On and Wave
(Temporary Residence)
The term "chamber music" in indie rock has become a dirty word. This type of music epitomizes the ultimate in rock and roll pretension, assuming making a couple decent rock songs on your guitar entitles you to pick up that old cello you haven't touched since high school orchestra practice and churn out some just as decent classical music. Many, many rock musicians have tried this, and more or less all of them, even Paul McCartney, have failed miserably. The Halifax Pier could easily be called chamber music, as both violin and cello are added to the standard guitar, bass, and drums rock lineup, however, the Pier seem conflicted as to what type of music they are really trying to create, whether it is pseudo-classical, with romantic, sweeping string sections, or whether it's standard, simple folk pop or slowcore in which a violin and cello just happen to be used.
This conflict between directions for the band makes their songs less powerful, and the songs are already not that powerful to begin with. "Lightly Noise" is a good example of this, as the conflict between styles messes up an otherwise wonderful idea for a song. The song starts off much different the rest, with just a simple, upbeat bluesgrass-like guitar part and a sing-songy vocal part, the upbeat pop nature of the song heightened by the oo-ing backing vocals and fingersnaps. As the vocals fade out, the strings come in, continuing the melody of the vocals, filling the song out much more than the one voice did. Just as the song seems like it is leveling out into a plateau of pretty strings, an electric guitar comes in and, along with the drums, shifts the beat of the song into something entirely unnatural. The song continues for a couple minutes with this odd, unnecessary, and tedious post-rock-like play on rhythm, throwing off the listener and the band. The song eventually shifts back to the strings and a vocal chorus, regaining momentum, but the song is definitely hurt by this post-rock interlude, an interlude that seems more like an exercise than anything inspired by feeling, heart, or emotion.
The more concise songs seem to be the most enjoyable. The instrumental "Sew Your Gloves On" is the darkest song on the album and also the best. The beauty of the song comes from how the violin and bass work together, the violin providing the main melody but always being played just above the bassline, persistently backing up the flighty riffs. The song makes several shifts in tempo and intensity, forming the structure of the song, alternating several times between a mid-tempo melodic section, a fierce fast tempo section, and a more sweeping slow section.
There seems to be a clear directive from the band not to limit the use of the strings in their pop songs to just interludes and flourishes but instead to make them an integral part of the melody and framework of the song. "Passing" is a prime example, and it does make for a good song. The song starts with just the rock instruments, the bass providing the main melody, coming off as a more open, country version of later REM. After a couple minutes, the strings come in, playing off the skeletal plucked guitar. It's all somewhat drab and unappealing up to this point, not just derivative but average. After the song passes the five minute mark, though, it blossoms as the violin and cello are given more room to roam (possibly because the singer, Charles Sommer, has shut up), picking up the pace and giving the song more vitality. As Sommer's voice comes back in, it is accompanied by female vocals from guest Colleen Doyle, both voices fitting in well with the tapestry of strings and drums, creating something pretty, upbeat, and alive. The payoff is there, but the 5 minute pop song that leads up almost makes the trip not worth the effort.
In the end, Halfiax Pier's music is decent but forgettable. Put Your Gloves On and Wave is soft and pretty and eases off a few minutes of your life, but after it's done, it's done. The band makes a couple choices that work out well, but even at their best, the music is not emotional, and it is not awe-striking. It is just a pretty little record; it is just not potent enough in style or feeling to withstand numerous listens. A little more conviction from the band on the kind of music they're making and where it's coming from would perhaps make the record seem more heartfelt and less forced.
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