All that matters about a band is that they hit it right on the money. That's all these reviews ever talk about. Did they ever hit it right on the money? How often did they hit it? Do they have the potential to hit it right on the money?
I have no good reason why The Eames Era have been consistently one of my favorite pop groups of the past few years except that they hit it right on the money almost every time. It's really not their twinkle twinkle melodies, Ashlin Phillips's comfortable voice, their polite jangle guitars (or their cartoon-fuzz guitars), the popcorn bass, or the Blondie drums. All those are great things about The Eames Era, but the best part about them is that they go all Ducktales Uncle Scrooge right into the goddamn money every time. They can't stop hitting it.
And they can't stop getting hit either. The Eames Era””a Baton Rouge five-piece””recently had a November tour canceled because their tour bus got hit by a National Guard military truck coming home from a photo shoot the week of the Double Dutch release. And those military trucks were only there because of Katrina... and the significance of that for The Eames Era””most of whom live or have family in the affected areas””doesn't need to be explained.
And yet in the midst of all these setbacks, The Eames Era have released (surprise, surprise) one of the sunniest and most fun releases of 2005. "Pay Attention," with its sing-along end and enthusiastic jump into the chorus, is a bona-fide pop-rock hit in a way 99% songs of such songs just aren't.
And "Listen to the Sun" is destined to be played on MTV2, which I actually mean as a compliment (I'll never mean that as such ever again). The guitars are so big and so full of fucking California... god damn it. They hit it on the head. Sure some of the songs don't hit it as well as those two... but they pretty much get it right. I know I wish every song could just have the big guitars and big statements and big and big and big of those two songs... and maybe someday they'll do that. Somehow I don't see The Eames Era deflating anytime soon. Not if they're still the happiest band on the planet after a year of car crashes and natural disasters.
This album gives me the shivers in a lot of ways. Listening to a really good pop band that's so excited to play pop-rock music against such crazy odds... that's great. That's big. That's right on the money.
1. Go to Sleep
2. Got Your Note
3. I Don't Mind
4. Listen for the Sun
5. Washed Out
6. Pay Attention
7. Talk Talk
8. Old Folks
9. Year of the Waitress
10. Boy Came In
11. Promises
More about: The Eames Era
