REVIEW: 10,000 Maniacs, The Earth Pressed Flat (Bar None)
- Jon Steltenpohl
10,000 Maniacs' new album is more of the same for the reconstituted band. The Earth Pressed Flat finds 10,000 Maniacs at essentially the same place they were an album ago with Love Among the Ruins. On Ruins, it was clear that the band was used to being fronted by a powerful lead vocalist, and they still hadn't adjusted to Mary Ramsey at the lead. The Earth Pressed Flat improves on Ramsey's integration, but not everything clicks yet.
"Ellen" is done beautifully from the band's standpoint, but, unfortunately, Ramsey's voice just doesn't carry the piece. The melody is kind of repetitious, and it doesn't really go anywhere. She gets better on "Once a City", and comes closer to matching the orchestration. (Her violin and viola are much more exquisite than her vocals.) "Glow" is a quiet, piano driven piece that's solemn, and Ramsey doesn't need to try and overpower it. As a result, "Glow" gives Ramsey a chance to show that she is developing a more soulful presence. Her voice is loosening up, and she is finding the freedom that being a lead vocalist affords.
Given that Ramsey hasn't completely found her voice yet, the reformed Maniacs still sound about like the original Maniacs circa The Wishing Chair. "Beyond the Blue" focuses on streaming guitar lines that trail from major keys to minor in an unsettling way. The balance is never broken, but it comes close. "On & On (Mersey Tune)" is probably the best track. It could have been on any of the early 10,000 Maniacs. It rolls and flows with a punchy little tune. Some hints of In My Tribe are there, and if the song is any indication, the next 10,000 Maniacs album could be very promising.
"Cabaret", another standout, sounds closest to a combination of the 10,000 Maniacs and John and Mary sounds, and, along with "On & On", it shows the most promising direction for the band to take. Like the best of the 10,000 Maniacs sound, the music is made to fit around the vocals in intricate little dances. There's a slight touch of guitar here, a shimmer of cymbals there, and Ramsey's vocals set the beat and melody with a tale of a raucous cabaret. "Cabaret" has lovelorn lyrics like "from afar he sees Venus rise / overwhelmingly beautiful / he sighs / the look of love was in her eyes" and esoteric cultural references like "Fellini would be proud."
But ultimately, The Earth Pressed Flat is an album that, like Love Among the Ruins, doesn't quite meet your hopes and expectations. It was recorded more organically and with less overdubs than Ruins, and that helps a bit. But, it doesn't overcome the fact that the emotion and passion still aren't up to the level of the old 10,000 Maniacs. But, it's tough to fault Ramsey for having to live in Merchant's shadow, and it's silly to expect the band to sound like it's been together for 15 years. Still, for a quiet, lyrical album, The Earth Pressed Flat is an enjoyable, if not spectacular, album.
Visit http://www.maniacs.com for tour dates and lyrics.
