Artist: DECIBULLY
Album: City of Festivals
The Scoop: There aren't many one-instrument ponies in Decibully. Ryan Weber, for instance, is credited with "Synths, Wurlitzer, Moog, Lap Steel, Guitar, Percussion" and several other bandmates have comparably involved titles. There are fleeting spots within several songs when City of Festivals, Decibully's debut album, feels like it has invited too many chefs into the kitchen. Mostly, though, it maintains a just-right level of layers and production. The Milwaukee septet is a reminder of the original potential of the style of music since besmirched as "emo" - honest and intelligent, unabashedly sensitive and smelling strongly of perfectionism. Weber's lap steel and Eric Holliday's banjo add a surprisingly effective twangy undercurrent to the album. Although Weber and frontman William Seidel (who also serve as producers on City of Festivals) spent time playing with The Promise Ring, it isn't really accurate to say that Decibully was born from the ashes of TPR. Seidel and Weber weren't founding members or driving engines of The Promise Ring and, more importantly, Decibully isn't a derivative. Just as they're multi-instrumentalists, it seems like just about everyone in the band has about a dozen past-and-present side projects, too, so if you want to master your knowledge of the Decibully family tree, you best get studying, junior.Highlight Tracks: "Small Circles" and "On The Way To Your Hotel"
For More Info: Visit http://www.decibully.com or http://www.polyvinylrecords.com
Artist: DOLOREAN
Album: Not Exotic
The Scoop: Sometimes I look at bands that are touring together and think "What the hell?" But Dolorean's bill with Damien Jurado makes perfect, kindred spirit sense. Dolorean's Al James writes nostalgic love songs centered in Hannibal, Missouri and pens lines like "You starve me until I start to lose control / And I could finish my plate but you're just serving me spoonfuls." The songs are wistful but not gloomy - the appreciation of Jeff Tweedy is readily apparent. More than anything, the songs feel honest. The aptly titled album was recorded live in the studio with the whole band - no splicing together the best individual performances. Dolorean may not be exotic, but they certainly aren't lo-fi. Jeff Saltzman's production fully immerses the listener in the band's fragile folk harmonies. A few tracks may not stick, but the best ones-like the two mentioned below, as well as the haunting (and, OK, this one is gloomy) closer "Spoil Your Dawn"-are quietly devastating.
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