Ben Gibbard/Andrew Kenny - Home Vol. 5
(Post-Parlo)
Post-Parlo Records totally suck at making collector's items. Not only is this subscription series available in stores, but they're repressing the popular installments, like this split release with Ben Gibbard and Andrew Kenny, but just giving it different packaging. And not necessarily worse packaging, replacing the flimsy handmade cardboard sleeve with a jewel-case. Such care has been given to mass produce this limited release that you'd be convinced the music contained therein is really, really special. But it's not. It's totally rushed and pedestrian, each artist throwing together home recordings of voice and acoustic guitar. Both Giabbard and Kenny contribute 3 new songs and one cover of the other guy's band (Death Cab For Cutie and American Analog Set, respectively). Gibbard covers "Choir Vandals" from Know By Heart, and Kenny covers "Line of Best Fit" from Something About Airplanes. Both put forth an earnest effort of translating the full band song to the acoustic guitar (esp. Gibbard), but, really, that's not all that interesting. What would be more interesting is translating American Analog Set to Death Cab's emo-pop-mo(u)ld and dampened-sound production or translating Death Cab to American Analog Set's sentimental and sparkly synth-pop. Aside from the covers, both artists give one interesting song and two clunkers. Gibbard's "You Remind Me of Home" is obviously a rush job but it has its charms, using an upbeat tempo and Gibbard's standard slightly-veiled antipathy. Kenny offers two two-minute songs that seem pointless, but then launches into "Church Mouse in the Church House" which sounds a lot like a demo version for a future great American Analog Set song, offering a slow, quiet build with a memorable vocal melody. A recording of these guys reading the Sunday paper would be essential for the fans, but outside of the devoted few, this release only offers a few fleeting glimpses at the two artist's otherwise consistently strong songwriting.
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