One For The Team – Best Supporting Actress

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[rating:80/100]
“Best Supporting Actress” kicks off with some lo-fi, gorgeous guy/girl vocals over a softly strumming guitar. And really, it doesn’t grow one bit. But that doesn’t matter for such a catchy, melodic, upbeat-yet-slow, beautiful song.

Off of the band’s latest EP, Build A Garden, “Actress” pushes along with a repeating guitar hook and calm group vocals. As “Lupethefiasco” over at The Tape puts it, it comes across as an acoustic, stripped-down Arcade Fire: no over-the-top instrumentals (not taking anything away from Arcade Fire, my favorite band), no over-production, just members of a band chanting along quietly but powerfully. “I know I said ‘I won’t miss you’ but now I think I’ll make a mess of you,” they sing hauntingly. Lead singer Ian Anderson makes his voice heard and his presence felt, but in the restrained way that he should for such a group-oriented song.

“Best Supporting Actress” gives you everything you could ask out of an acoustic ditty- charming vocals, simple lyrics, a nice guitar melody, and the feeling that you are right there listening to the band, sitting together, strumming, and singing. Why does it give you that sense? The band recorded the song in their Minneapolis apartment! Minneapolis f*****g Rocks!

A review of the full EP will be up early next week.

[download#81]_

by Adam Offitzer on April 3, 2009 ‡ 0 reactions