“Introducing,” the appropriately titled debut album from the San Francisco all-female trio Brilliant Colors, is unmistakably a product of the 21st century. Like so many other recent indie bands, the group borrows heavily from noisy, lo-fi, and instantly hummable underground acts of the ’80s and ’90s (Guided By Voices and Jesus and Mary Chain immediately come to mind), but lacks the vitality, rawness and quality songcraft that made those older artists remarkable.
As far as contemporary comparisons, Brilliant Colors most closely resembles the overrated Vivian Girls, another all-woman band obsessed with fuzzy distortion and infectious melodies. “Introducing” follows the same trite formula of so many of its peers, adding nothing to this already worn-out genre. The album is basically a collection of 10 forgettable and underdeveloped noise pop songs that drip with boredom. Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, “Introducing” can’t end quickly enough.
The album’s opener, “I Searched,” with its droning reverb, jangly guitars, and indiscernible lyrics epitomizes nearly every track on “Introducing.” The song’s melody is its only saving grace, but it’s smothered beneath incessantly ringing distortion, an uninspired chord progression and lead singer Jess Scott’s frustrating mumbles. On “Motherland,” Scott does her best Karen O impression, screeching and moaning until it sounds like she’s about to lose her voice. But whereas the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ leading lady delivers her vocal performances with soul and ferocity, Scott’s unintelligible howls come off as annoying and gimmicky.
As the album progresses, its tracks become indistinguishable. The same rudimentary guitar-playing and singing smear each song, making for an entirely forgettable listening experience. Almost nothing on “Introducing” warrants a repeated listen and, after its 10 songs breeze by, you’re left wondering why the band took the time and effort to title them in the first place.
For all my complaints about “Introducing’s” lack of originality, the album’s best track, ironically, is also its most blatant rip off. “Absolutely Anything” unabashedly steals the melody from the 1984 Nena hit “99 Red Balloons.” Brilliant Colors transform the ’80s standard into a tough, buzzing punk-pop song that captures what a successful female shoegaze trio should sound like (Vivian Girls, take note). Best of all, Scott’s vocals take center stage, revealing a surprisingly clear and melodious voice. Still, moments like this are rare on “Introducing” and fail to compensate for the rest of the album’s mediocrity.
Slumberland Records, Brilliant Colors’ label, is famous for its assortment of noise pop and shoegaze artists. In 2009, they released the amazing debut from the Pains of Being Pure At Heart, an album rich with distortion, original melodies, and clever wordplay. Unfortunately, releases like this are a dime a dozen in today’s indie music world and “Introducing” certainly attests to that. It seems like every week a dozen new bands emerge on some obscure label with the same lo-fi, underproduced aesthetic. If you’re hoping Brilliant Colors will be that diamond in the rough, you should probably dig deeper.
For the Record - 03/10/10
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