Anne Summers
Very Classy
Beatville Records
Release Date: May 9 2000
Wearing one's heart (and influences) on one's sleeve has its dangers. Some
may find this sort of unassuming honesty endearing. Others may view the
lack of subtlety and reliance on overt allusions as a sure sign of
ineptidtude. The boys in Anne Summers take that chance and end up with a
record that falls somewhere in the middle.
With a new label and a new lease on life, the DC-based trio attempt to grow
and move on past their extremely hummable debut, The Dandy. Picking up
where that record left off, the band's sophmore effort brings all of the
"oh-oh"s and "yeahs" that were to be expected. But since their debut, they
have added to their repertoire of influences. Instead of simply a
British-pop via the eastern corridor song style, the boys have sifted through the used record
bins and added more Elvis Costello than before. And while the Jam is still
a heavy influence, Anne Summers has also moved forward (along the timeline,
at least) to nicking the Cure as well.
Even with these British nods, the trio still sounds like an American indie
pop. With the help of producer Don Fleming, this album no longer simply
sound like a high school garage band. Like comrades in ears, Fountains of
Wayne, the move to sparkling sound cleanliness allows the honest and ironic
"everyman" lyrics to seem simple without ever becoming simple-minded.
Although the songs reach the band's self-proclaimed status of "quirky," the
album never makes its own stand. The allusions often overwhelm the work, no
matter how entertaining. The songs are fun and the lyrics are often sharp,
but it's neither "Head on the Door" nor "My Aim is True." Enjoy it for what it
is -- a fun record, not by rock stars, but by people who could easily be
three guys you know, who happen to have great taste in music.
-- Miguel Banuelos
banuelos@outersound.com
