Here's some mildly infectious punk-rock, emphasis on mildly, care of a Milwaukee trio named after a Who song. I'll admit I don't know a whole lot about what classifies as hardcore, but I know what I like and only elements of The Trouble appeals to me. The ska-funk stylings of "Hungry Liars" and the dance-punk of "Horse Flies" reminiscent of The Rapture provide some of the easier on the ears moments, tracks that don't reach quite as piercing a level as the rest, while Bill Kutsch's light smattering of keyboard effects throughout do the best job of giving Call Me Lightning some distinctive character. Basing a band around a flaky-voiced lead singer is a risky gambit that often only legends can get away with like Bob Dylan or Jello Biafra. While the music CML creates may be quite possibly listenable, I don't feel it is enough to overcome the detrimental voice of Nathan Lilly, which despite his decent lyrics is fairly inaccessible. What I confused for catchiness in early listenings may just be a dependency on tested formulas, like the hand claps on "Pizza Party," and hence the project lacks the experimental edge of Xiu Xiu, as well as the fun of Electric 6. This was all done a lot better by the Steve Albini-recorded Giddy Motors two years ago with Make It Pop. By far the best part of this package is the paintings in the liner which feature dolphins escaping a man's stomach, three-headed bear-butterflies, and a sandwich-lizard surfing on a sea of bloody skulls which illustrates the band's problem of directionless vision rather well. I believe CML is capable of making something beautiful but The Trouble We're In isn't it.
1. We Be Dragons
2. Ghosts In The Mirror
3. Ashes To Ashes
4. Pizza Party
5. Hungry Liars
6. Golden Radical (Young Professional)
7. Ghouls
8. Horseflies
9. Rotten River
10. Be The Lightning