What it is it about shoegaze? Is it just easy listening for post rock fans? Is Isobella going to find an audience beyond those who already haunt the shoegaze forum? How can I write this review without using the word guazey?
Myself, I love this kind of murk because it's as tumultuous to the ear as it is soothing. When guitars get too clean, vocals too succinct, lyrics too understandable, I find myself running back to my Ride, MBV, and Auburn Lull CDs. But there is still that same dramatic rock power amidst all the rampant obscuring. Most shoegaze music is closer to queasy listening: its tones warmly mournful, its textures subtly disorienting. Isobella continues this tradition, in a Cocteau Twins meets Slowdive sort of fashion. Sure they're not doing anything particularly radical for the genre, but there's a potentially satisfying, nestled quality to these songs. Like all ostracized genres, shoegaze thrives best when it reaps those touchstone sounds. Isobella's got the heavenly tremelo'd guitar squalls, the wistful, mournful melodies, and those sprightly, unforceful drum machine twitters Cocteau Twins made famous.
But, then again, Isobella seems to be nothing all that exceptional, despite how satisfying their niche-ready sound is to this listener. Like Landing, the female vocalist has a flat, very grounded vocal style that doesn't quite work with the foggy atmosphere. What makes Landing a little better seems to be better mixing. I'm no recording engineer, but to these ears, the drum machine patterns and the singing is too upfront against the crashing guitar and keyboard miasma (something that when it hits, you wish it'd hit harder).
Landing keeps piling on thick waves of sound, while Isobella is spare to a fault. Their otherwise pleasingly woozy soundwash element suffers for it. Maybe I'm just nitpicking -- I'm not completely sure. It could be that the mixing on this album is right where it oughta be. I guess the bottom line for me is that Mahogany nailed this twittery drum machine heavy dream-pop sound and then raised the bar for it. Their Memory Column may not possess much crossover potential, but it's closer to it than Isobella. The band's pleasant, but ultimately kind of sedentary sound seems destined to be overshadowed by more innovative acts in this genre.
1. Cardboard Igloo
2. Whale in Lake Ontario
3. P to M
4. Brown on White
5. Majestic
6. World's Greatest Spinner
7. Wrapped in Plastic
8. Miles and Time
9. For Madmen Only
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