2008 Woodie Awards
Batteries only half charged
Promising, if on the lackluster side, Duluth band makes decent debut
by Dannielle Higginbotham
Issue date: 2/7/08
Section: Music
With a debut album The Duluth Budgeteer said "the masses should fall on their knees for," Duluth-based Batteries hits some targets, misses others and builds a solid, though lackluster, debut with "That Great Grandsuck of the Seas."
While Batteries has been compared to bands like Television and Velvet Underground, the five-member group sounds more like Death Cab for Cutie on downers than a 1970s punk icon. The opening track, "Dime Jar," would fit in nicely at a coffee shop. The blending of the bass and guitar with singer Dave Frankenfeld's quiet, reserved voice makes listeners think about sitting in a shop drinking a latte with a few friends. That is, of course, until halfway into the song when they introduce a sound that is either the feedback from a microphone or some poor guinea pig that found its way into the studio and was stepped on. The opening drums on the track briefly tricked this listener into thinking she was listening to "Live Forever" by Oasis, but any similarities to the great ones end immediately.
Another Batteries key track is "Childproof." The beat is a great throwback to the 1950s, but the voice isn't powerful enough to match and the result is that the vocals sound wimpy and the music overpowering.
Later in the album comes "Electric Kid." With good lyrics and a catchy beat, it's an enjoyable song that could easily be an arena rock ballad reminiscent of R.E.M.'s "Losing my Religion." Again, however, the vocals don't match the powerful music. If the voice had punch to it, the song would have more of an impact on listeners.
Batteries describes its music as "Jaunty but gothic, and fuzzy yet conversational." The gothic element isn't that strong, however - it sounds more pensive or melancholic than gothic. Lead singer Dave Frankenfeld's voice has been compared to Jonathan Richman, Pavement's Stephen Malkmus and, ridiculously, David Bowie. Comparing "Childproof" to "Ziggy Stardust" is not a fair fight. Rather, Frakenfeld's voice resembles that of Death Cab's Ben Gibbard, Bright Eyes' Connor Oberst, or even R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, though it lacks the force and emotion those three possess.
The music is mostly solid but the vocals are too weak. If Frakenfeld were to drop the sensitive indie voice and go for something more powerful, the songs would stand out more and sound better, and it would leave listeners with more than '50s throwback beats and a burning desire to listen to R.E.M.
THE GRADE: B-
The music is solid, but the vocals are weak.
Dannielle Higginbotham is a Reporter staff writer
While Batteries has been compared to bands like Television and Velvet Underground, the five-member group sounds more like Death Cab for Cutie on downers than a 1970s punk icon. The opening track, "Dime Jar," would fit in nicely at a coffee shop. The blending of the bass and guitar with singer Dave Frankenfeld's quiet, reserved voice makes listeners think about sitting in a shop drinking a latte with a few friends. That is, of course, until halfway into the song when they introduce a sound that is either the feedback from a microphone or some poor guinea pig that found its way into the studio and was stepped on. The opening drums on the track briefly tricked this listener into thinking she was listening to "Live Forever" by Oasis, but any similarities to the great ones end immediately.
Another Batteries key track is "Childproof." The beat is a great throwback to the 1950s, but the voice isn't powerful enough to match and the result is that the vocals sound wimpy and the music overpowering.
Later in the album comes "Electric Kid." With good lyrics and a catchy beat, it's an enjoyable song that could easily be an arena rock ballad reminiscent of R.E.M.'s "Losing my Religion." Again, however, the vocals don't match the powerful music. If the voice had punch to it, the song would have more of an impact on listeners.
Batteries describes its music as "Jaunty but gothic, and fuzzy yet conversational." The gothic element isn't that strong, however - it sounds more pensive or melancholic than gothic. Lead singer Dave Frankenfeld's voice has been compared to Jonathan Richman, Pavement's Stephen Malkmus and, ridiculously, David Bowie. Comparing "Childproof" to "Ziggy Stardust" is not a fair fight. Rather, Frakenfeld's voice resembles that of Death Cab's Ben Gibbard, Bright Eyes' Connor Oberst, or even R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, though it lacks the force and emotion those three possess.
The music is mostly solid but the vocals are too weak. If Frakenfeld were to drop the sensitive indie voice and go for something more powerful, the songs would stand out more and sound better, and it would leave listeners with more than '50s throwback beats and a burning desire to listen to R.E.M.
THE GRADE: B-
The music is solid, but the vocals are weak.
Dannielle Higginbotham is a Reporter staff writer
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