Poster Children
New World Record
[spinART]
Rating: 8.1
The Poster Children have been perhaps the most reliable college band of the
'90s. They haven't made a pandering sellout record. They haven't threatened
breakup. They haven't moved away from the college town (Champaign, Illinois)
where they started. And they haven't made a bad album, ever.
The college indie rock crowd may expect big things from the Poster Children
on their latest record because of their recent reassignment to the indie
ranks (they left Reprise for SpinArt last year). But the truth is that even
when they wore a corporate suit, their spirits were independent. They stay
that way on New World Record, their first self- produced, home-
recorded album.
As always, there are new dimensions that keep the band from rehashing the
same fast chords and blistering rhythms. The record opens with the
shuffling drums and guitars of "Accident Waiting to Happen" before Jim
Valentin's happily ascerbic vocals and the band's trademark coffee buzz
sound kicks in on guitar. Feedback hangs around "Time to Kill" like a
tie-die tapestry. Vintage new wave keyboards and monotone vocals bolster the
indie harmonies of "Ankh," giving the band a momentary resemblance to the
late, great Brainiac.
These are almost all of precious few extras thrown into New World
Record. Maybe the Poster Children were intentionally trying to make
their self- produced debut what people would expect from a home- recorded
album, or maybe they just ran out of money. Whatever the reason, the spare,
live quality makes this effort the most visceral Poster Children
album since Daisy Chain Reaction. It doesn't sound literally live (as
engineer Steve Albini made Daisy Chain Reaction sound), it just
sounds more true to the band's live spirit than anything from the band's
Reprise years.
On the other hand, though there are a few competitors for anthem status--
the sheer volume of "6x6" and the light- through- stained- glass guitars of
"Deadman"-- few of the tracks here can match the power and persuasion of
"Junior Citizen" and "He's My Star" from the Reprise years (live videos of
both are included in a CD-ROM package, which also includes a video game that
simulates touring).
It's not for lack of trying-- the Poster Children have made easy work of
cutting unique new songs using their routine, trademark structure. And
though every song sounds familiar, you can rest assured that there's no
ground on New World Record that the Poster Children have already covered.
-Shan Fowler