States Rights Records and The Slender Means Society have conjured up The Pregnancy Series, of which, The Blow's release, Poor Aim: Love Songs, is the first born to the family. A conceptual series of four EP releases -- each from separate artists, including Thanksgiving, Lucky Dragons, and Mount Eerie -- the underlying theme is still rather elusive but is described on the press sheet as "A concise concept EP that means something different than anything they've done before." As per the concept of Poor Aim: Love Songs, the title says it all.
For Khaela Maricich, this is a step beyond any previous Blow or Get the Hell Out of the Way of the Volcano work to date. The consistency of this album is at first fairly overwhelming. Those familiar with The Blow's catalog, whether a fan or not, will have to agree that this album has, as those foul mouthed teens like to say, "got it's shit together." The difference between Maricich's previous release The Concussive Caress and Poor Aim, while not so shocking, is quite a marked contrast. Poor Aim consistently brings together more unified songs in lieu of including those frenzied interstitials, which are a stalwart characteristic of The Blow's previous releases.
While it may seem most obvious to assume that Bechtolt's production would bring complexity to this EP (what with 2004's Super Warren MMIV), it is Maricich's vocals which provide the depth, range, and individuality of an independent release. Bechtolt has engineered distinguishable, seamless beats and backgrounds that are immediately palatable to even the most naïve of pop fanatics. What these two have managed with Poor Aim is to take two seemingly abstract musicians and create one of the most accessible releases of the year.
1. Hey Boy
2. The Sky Opened Wide Like the Tide
3. Knowing the Things That I Know
4. Lets Play Boys Chase Girls
5. The Love That I Crave
6. Hock IT
7. Come On Petunia