Rainer Maria - A Better Version of Me
(Polyvinyl)
Where do you stand on emo in 2001? Is it so played out that any hint of
diaphragm-propelled whining will cause you to cringe and recoil, or do you
miss the good old days when there were 10 new records each week featuring
a different cracked voiced young person complaining about hangnails and
homework, or are you somewhere in between?
These questions are a litmus test as to whether you will enjoy Rainer
Maria's fantastic new album A Better Version of Me, and it is those on
both extremes that may find a problem with the music. Rainer Maria has
subtly evolved over the past five years, leaving the world of emo for
a more traditional rock and roll sound. Yes, in other words, they sound
even more like Superchunk now. To call them an emo band would be not only an
oversimplification but also misleading. Their current form should
appeal more to fans of pop bands like Versus, Verbena, and of course Superchunk
than those who are bidding $50 on eBay for old Cap'n Jazz CDs.
However, those fans of pop may have trouble accepting Rainer Maria with
open arms as their roots as an emo band from Wisconsin are still heard
in the music (although they now live in New York). This leaves Rainer Maria
in somewhat of a conundrum as their new New York City flavor (while not much
different than previous varieties) will raise red flags with both their
existing fan base and those their new music might naturally appeal to.
But goddam it, this is a great pop album. One of the best parts of Rainer
Maria the emo band was that they were one of the only such bands that seemed
to be earnest. They were not trendhoppers creating music just to be in a
band; they had the songs in them and expressed them the only way you could
in Wisconsin in the mid 90s. This change in form that follows their move
to New York City can only be taken in the same light; they are expressing
their music in the most natural way possible.
To end their third album, Rainer Maria strategically places their most classically
emo song, "Hell
and High Water," at the end of the LP--putting it anywhere else would
either ruin the flow or make the battles against the ghosts of Wisconsin
that much harder. Sounding like the perfect lead off track for one of their
earlier LPs, the song shows off all that used to make Rainer Maria
great: simple, repetitive guitar, semi-spoken vocals with
boy/girl non-harmonizing, and pure hooks.
These elements are prevalent throughout the album, though--in each and every
song. The only difference is the tried and true of emo has been replaced
by the tried and true of glossily-produced guitar pop. Bassist Caithlin
De Marrais' voice sounds more confident and melodic, Kyle Fischer's guitar
is more focused and better planned-out, and William Kuehn's drums are a little
less frantic. Shifts from loud to soft, the oft-maligned emo standard, are
not a derelict but seem less forced--they occur gradually and naturally and
in smaller increments.
Does that mean Rainer Maria is still a crappy old emo band? Or does that mean
they are blasphemers to the emo gods? Focusing too much on these questions will
only cause you to miss out on bands that continue to write great songs,
no matter what name best fits the style. One thing is for sure: having a
young person emote is an essential part of punk rock. We cannot take that
away for the sake of 5 years of clichéed styles. Hearing De Marrais'
voice strain should at best be taken as endearing and at worst a minor
physical flaw; we cannot discount her voice and talent just
because of all the shit that has already hit the fan.
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