Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of November 17th-23rd, 2015:
The Persian Leaps - Drive Drive Delay
01. Fire Starter
02. Pretty Boy
03. (Goodbye To) South Carolina
04. Truth = Consequences
05. Permission
Who's ready for some power pop!?!
Hopefully you all remember The Persian Leaps. I wrote about their last EP, the excellent Praise Elephants as my Album Of The Week almost a year ago. I also played their song "Hard Feelings" as part of a three song local set way back on Flatbasset Radio: Episode #24. Basically, if you follow the Flatbasset world at all you should know these guys.
Drive Drive Delay is an interesting turn for the band. Back when I was writing about Praise Elephants I mentioned that the band sounded like the Gin Blossoms and that I meant that as a compliment. Drive Drive Delay is still laden with the kind of pop hooks that remind me of the 90's, however, Drew Forsberg and the boys have removed a layer of sheen from the proceedings. Drive Drive Delay is a little bit louder and a little bit more raw than its predecessor. These texture of these songs has more in common with Guided By Voices or Archers Of Loaf than they do Gin Blossoms.
Now, lots of bands have decided to strip back their sound and take on a more straight ahead punk edge. What makes this development interesting in the case of The Persian Leaps is that removing that layer of gloss has actually revealed more depth in Forsberg's songs. Little guitar fills turn up, backup vocals become more noticeable, the drums hit harder, and the songs sound much more like the work of a band firing on all cylinders in the same room.
Forsberg's also grown as a songwriter. Part of what made Praise Elephants so instantly enjoyable was the way the songs seemed instantly familiar. Here Forsberg still traffics in instantly hum-able hooks, but also finds more little left turns. Both "Fire Starter" and "Pretty Boy" are kiss-off tracks delivered with beautifully Midwestern passive aggressiveness. "(Goodbye To) South Carolina" features an almost deadpan delivery before building launching into all-out guitars on the chorus. Album closer "Permission" is the most ambitious song the band has put to tape yet. Taking his foot off the gas pedal Forsberg crafts a mid-tempo rocker that finds its energy in elongated washes of guitar. Lyrically he turns the tables on the angry guy from the album's opening tracks, riding the song out with the lyrics, "She said, she said, I don't need your permission." It's a surprising turn to close the album and the best example yet of The Persian Leaps coming into their own. With two stellar EP's in the bank it's hard not to be excited to find out what they do next.
Drive Drive Delay was released on Drew Forsberg's new Land Ski Records label. It's available on The Persian Leaps Bandcamp page. You should really look into it.
