Gregory Robson
08/13/09, 04:08 PM
Drug Rug - Paint the Fence Invisible
Record Label: Black and Greene Records
Release Date: July 28, 2009
Formed in April of 2006 while bartenders at Cambridge, MA's famed club The Middle East, the boyfriend-girlfriend tandem of Sarah Cronin and Thomas Allen, better known as Drug Rug, began as an acoustic duo before later evolving into a twee indie-pop duo. Their much-praised self-titled debut hit the shelves in 2007 and just two years later they've returned with Paint the Fence Invisible, a freewheeling, playful assortment of 11, lo-fi pop tunes.
The album begins with the intimate, albeit breif overture "Follow," which segues directly into the Dr. Dog-like jangle of "Haunting You." The first thing that's apparent in listening is the duo's air-tight vocal harmonies and good-natured airiness. "Never Tell," follows and it carries an analogous feel to its predecessor, while also possessing some of the charm from the band's debut. Next in line is "Blue Moon," which features a ringing organ intro and an armful of 60s-era production. The group goes for bedroom cuteness on the should-be single "Hannah, Please," a sassy, light-hearted ramble with a good dose of yearning and pleading.
The aural landscape is expanded slightly on the experimental weirdness of "Don't Be Frightened By the Devil," and the thrilling "Noah Rules." Taking cues from the earlier half of the disc, "Coffee in the Morning," has an undeniable McCartney-like charm, while the psychedelic stomper "Passes On," punches along before giving way to a sea of reed instruments. The disc ends with the all-too-brief "Sooner the Better," and the intimate title-track, in which Cronin sounds as earthy and romantic as ever.
While Paint the Fence Invisible is prone to erratic shifts that skew and bend, sometimes in completely unpredictable directions, the tandem's sun-drenched optimism and charming melodies have yielded a sound that borrows a good bit of blues, gospel and soul, while also possessing a healthy dose of singer/songwriter sentiments and engaging, witty textures. With a running time of less than 32 minutes and a total of nearly 30 different instruments played, there's little reason to not give this a passing chance. Plain and simple: Bypass their eccentric name and dig into some of the most refreshing songs released this year.
1. Follow (1:16)
2. Haunting You (2:05)
3. Never Tell (3:04)
4. Blue Moon (3:09)
5. Hannah, Please (2:32)
6. Don't Be Frightened By The Devil (3:50)
7. Noah Rules (5:04)
8. Coffee In the Morning (2:46)
9. Passes On (2:23)
10. Sooner The Better (1:59)
11. Paint the Fence Invisible (3:14)
Dr. Dog, the Spinto Band, Wheat, The Byrds, The Beatles
Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/drugrugdude)
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/drugrug)
Record Label: Black and Greene Records
Release Date: July 28, 2009
Formed in April of 2006 while bartenders at Cambridge, MA's famed club The Middle East, the boyfriend-girlfriend tandem of Sarah Cronin and Thomas Allen, better known as Drug Rug, began as an acoustic duo before later evolving into a twee indie-pop duo. Their much-praised self-titled debut hit the shelves in 2007 and just two years later they've returned with Paint the Fence Invisible, a freewheeling, playful assortment of 11, lo-fi pop tunes.
The album begins with the intimate, albeit breif overture "Follow," which segues directly into the Dr. Dog-like jangle of "Haunting You." The first thing that's apparent in listening is the duo's air-tight vocal harmonies and good-natured airiness. "Never Tell," follows and it carries an analogous feel to its predecessor, while also possessing some of the charm from the band's debut. Next in line is "Blue Moon," which features a ringing organ intro and an armful of 60s-era production. The group goes for bedroom cuteness on the should-be single "Hannah, Please," a sassy, light-hearted ramble with a good dose of yearning and pleading.
The aural landscape is expanded slightly on the experimental weirdness of "Don't Be Frightened By the Devil," and the thrilling "Noah Rules." Taking cues from the earlier half of the disc, "Coffee in the Morning," has an undeniable McCartney-like charm, while the psychedelic stomper "Passes On," punches along before giving way to a sea of reed instruments. The disc ends with the all-too-brief "Sooner the Better," and the intimate title-track, in which Cronin sounds as earthy and romantic as ever.
While Paint the Fence Invisible is prone to erratic shifts that skew and bend, sometimes in completely unpredictable directions, the tandem's sun-drenched optimism and charming melodies have yielded a sound that borrows a good bit of blues, gospel and soul, while also possessing a healthy dose of singer/songwriter sentiments and engaging, witty textures. With a running time of less than 32 minutes and a total of nearly 30 different instruments played, there's little reason to not give this a passing chance. Plain and simple: Bypass their eccentric name and dig into some of the most refreshing songs released this year.
1. Follow (1:16)
2. Haunting You (2:05)
3. Never Tell (3:04)
4. Blue Moon (3:09)
5. Hannah, Please (2:32)
6. Don't Be Frightened By The Devil (3:50)
7. Noah Rules (5:04)
8. Coffee In the Morning (2:46)
9. Passes On (2:23)
10. Sooner The Better (1:59)
11. Paint the Fence Invisible (3:14)
Dr. Dog, the Spinto Band, Wheat, The Byrds, The Beatles
Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/drugrugdude)
Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/drugrug)