Kent, Ohio based Annabel's debut album "Each And Everyone" has been rotating on my playlist back and forth for a good few months now as I've struggled to find the right words to describe just how it sounds and whether it's good or not. It's not that I'm not familiar with indie rock - Portugal. The Man are one of my favorites together with Copeland - but Annabel's type of dreamy, sparkling indie pop/rock is just that difficult to put down on paper and give it justice simultaneously. Many songs have tinkling guitars, which are supplemented by keyboard and xylophone, resulting in lots of silky standout melodies that may sound like minimalistic indie pop at first, but after a few repeat listen the detail you'll find is surprising.
"Castles in the Air" "Boquet Mines" and "Parade Rest" all appeared on "Now That We're Alive EP". Here they've been produced somewhat better, giving the songs more intricate detail, a common denominator for most songs on the album. You'll find quiet but interesting drum rolls, layered, dreamy guitars gently ringing in the high frequencies of the instrumental landscape, while the vocalist's characteristic high-pitch vocals work perfectly in the ambient and smooth instrumental environment. Keyboard and xylophone are used extensively to add atmosphere that should remind you of The Arcade Fire in places, though particularly on the soft sung "As It Happened" which has a chorus that could've easily been on "Funeral" back in 2004.
Some songs like "Parade Rest" and "In Droves" remind me of the metropolitan claustrophobia that you've before heard on Boo And Boo Too's material, though Annabel sound a little bit brighter and less noisy, but the idea is the same: ambiance and intricate detail serve a bigger purpose, one to shroud the listener entirely into the sweet melodies present on this record. It's a shame that music like this will never be heard by the ADD-suffering mainstream music population, because especially here in Denmark (and, partly, in Australia), Annabel would make a massive impact on the indie-loving population. For now, they're a gem treasured by the few that are familiar with the band. Should any of the bands listed below fall into your favorite band categories, don't miss out on Annabel.
[7]
Download: Sleeping Lions, As It Happened, In Droves
For the fans of: The Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, Boo And Boo Too, Built To Spill
Listen: Myspace
Release date 04.03.2009
Count Your Lucky Stars
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