Kallikak Family - Vineland Social Maturity Scale
(On Purpose)
Shrouded in mystery, the Kallikak Family emerge from the shadows with a little indie nugget. Presenting themselves as a band out to confound, they clearly succeed—I will give a nickle to the person who can figure out the title of this record in one minute. (The record sleeve contains references to "Vineland" along with "Vineland Social Maturity Scale"... only after flipping the record over do we discover the band's name.) Attempts to challenge less developed minds continue in the album insert, which includes a scale for listeners to "sample such various activities of social ability." Clever Kallikaks!! Under it all, however, beats a warm left-of-centre indie heart guided by the wand of various members of the family.
Vineland Social Maturity Scale is a pleasant listen with more ideas than your typical release. Seemingly offering a challenge and standing out from the pack, with its abrasive edges and playful experimentation, it however often does not rise from the zone of better than average indie pop.
The comparison to Phil Elvrum of the Microphones, and his philosophy, is perhaps too glaring to mention, and I am sure the Kallikak Family are sick of it already. However, it is a useful one to explain how the former shines while the latter merely glimmers. Elvrum, for one, has an uncanny ability to write touching pop songs, with lyrics revealing insight seldom heard in music. Beautiful pop moments are matched by seething abrasion and the long expanses of calculated orchestration. The Kallikaks, by comparison, do not push the creative envelope quite far enough to rival their hero.
Nevertheless, Vineland Social Maturity Scale is often charming, and clearly contains enough substance to encourage repeated listens. The lyrics will cast some light in the dark corners of your mind, and leave you touched. A few sound tricks, such as buried CD-skips, keep the record interesting and point in a promising direction. A nice little pleasurable listen.
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