REVIEW: The Posies, Success (Pop Llama)
- Scott A. Miller
Why would The Posies turn triskaidekaphobic now? They've been through line-up changes, popular apathy in the face of incredible songwriting and performing, and label indifference. Of COURSE they'd release a CD called Success (Pop Llama) on Friday (February) the 13th. What's the worse that could happen?
Well for one this could be, as the press kit states, the last we see of The Posies on record. John Auer, one-half of the songwriting team that includes Ken Stringfellow, has already formed his own project, Lucky Me, and was on tour with it just before this album was scheduled to come out. At a recent Posies radio appearance, Auer also said "the Posies as a way of life are over."
For another, the completely keyboard song "Start a Life" might, against all the odds, become an incredibly huge hit - think Smashmouth's "Walking on the Sun" - and the band would become known as a one-hit wonder. Stranger things have happened, but that would be the greatest indignity to a band whose power pop output rivals that of any band in the genre.
Success finds the band closing the circle of its career on the beloved Seattle label that gave Auer and Stringfellow their start, Pop Llama. Their first album, Failure, hinted at a songwriting team with what one critic called "a deep wellspring of talent." Geffen snapped the boys up and three excellent, commercially ignored albums followed. After 1996's Amazing Disgrace failed to find the band a wider audience, Geffen backed away.
The good news for both those new to the band and longtime fans is that Success provides a decent overview of the band's unique abilities: fine melodies, great vocals and thought-provoking takes on (mostly failed) relationships.
"Somehow Everything" provides an upbeat start to the 12-song set. It's followed by "You're the Beautiful One," arguably one of the prettiest songs the band has ever produced.
With its feedback drenched chorus, "Placebo" sounds like an "Amazing Disgrace" song, while "Farewell Typewriter" and "Every Bitter Drop" would not have seemed out of place on the gentler "Dear 23."
The biggest surprise of the album is the aforementioned keyboard lament "Start A Life." Fans of Tim Finn (former Split Enz and Crowded House) will love this song to death, from its quiet bossa nova percussion opening to the ghostly keyboard riff that floats throughout. The deceptively simple lyrics hint that danger lurks around every corner for those who try to take a different path.
As a "Seattle band" who mostly eschewed grunge in favor of pop, The Posies know a little about that. This worthwhile effort is probably readily available throughout the northwest United States. For those who can't find it at the record stores, call Pop Llama at 206-527-8816. Tell them you want PLCD-3232. (Backwards that catalog number is 2323 -- get it?)
