Ashley Park - Town & Country
(Kindercore)
A couple years ago almost every indie pop band was twee. Pretty much anyone who
was cute and had a mod haircut could start their own twee band by banging and/or
plucking whatever is around them and, after the vocals were added, turn that
into acceptable 3 minute pop songs. Of course, the key word is
acceptable, and when combined with the word pop, we're not
exactly talking about timeless music here, but still acceptable is better than
nothing. Now, indie pop is no longer all about the twee. Instead, everyone's
trying to be Brian Wilson, and Ashley Park proves that, while anyone could
start their own twee band, not everyone can approximate Brian Wilson.
This is perhaps too harsh because Ashley Park is not bad music, it is just not
good compared to other bands doing precisely the same thing. Ashley Park comes
off as a one man version of the Ladybug Transistor, similar to them in the
60s-inspired use of such pretty instruments as trumpet, piano, strings, etc.,
with pretty vocals, but unlike them in that there is really only one guy here,
Terry Miles (formerly of Saturnhead), so there is a lot less going on.
Much like twee, the only way Miles can make a song worth much is with a
decent vocal hook. Despite the quantity of instruments used in "Lucy &
the Bourgeoisie," Miles is only able to assemble a galloping rhythm out of
his instruments, letting his voice supply the only decent melody. Similarly,
on "By the Stereo," the instruments just supply squiggles and beats, Miles'
bouncing vocals the only thing making the song worth hearing. Not all songs
are this basic though. One of the best songs on the album, "Town &
Country II & III" goes through several phases, each one interesting,
from a simple pop song with odd organ squiggles to slowburn strum
psychedelia to Apples-like bouncy guitar. If Miles wrote a dozen songs like
this, then he'd have an album!
Listening to the good bands of this ilk is an instant smile-inducer, but
Ashley Park feels drab by comparison, the thin melodies and silly desperation
of his lyrics bringing me down.
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