September 1, 2010 • self-released
Another Bandcamp discovery today: Trampoline Dreamers, found lurking in the emo section (obviously I went on a binge some time ago). Unfortunately this is one of my most disappointing finds so far; while the band isn't terrible, they are highly generic and ultimately uninteresting.
Their sound is the kind of thing I'd like, though a sort of garage-y, lo-fi, noisy emo, akin to a softer and less anthemic Japandroids. The vocals and drums are both unusually soft and understated, riding along far underneath the guitar and bass lines that take up the spotlight. While it's nice to be able to hear that gritty bass sound well, it's an odd mix.
Unfortunately, the album suffers from relatively dull writing. The songs are all more or less the same thing—very basic chord progressions with the same guitar and drum patterns the whole way through. Even after a good handful of listens I can't tell them apart whatsoever, and none have anything very memorable about them to make them stand out. There is also little, if anything, in the way of dynamics, making the album seem very flat and uninteresting—just a monotonous wall of sound. If the album isn't relegated to background music it can get almost fatiguing.
It's an alright start, but Trampoline Dreamers have a long way to go if they want to stand out. More captivating melodies, more interesting rhythms, something. I hope they can pull it off because they're headed in the right direction. They're just not there yet.
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