This is not a criticism of the album; the Burnside Project is extremely easy to like. Fronted by indie-rock veterans Richard Jankovich and Gerald Hammil, and joined by keyboardist Paul Searing, this New York-based electronica meets indie-rock group has found a formula that works. The group successfully blends haunting melodies with live instrumentation and electronic beats and samples. The Mendoza Line’s Shannon McArdle returns to lend her beautiful and evocative vocals to many of the album’s tracks.
Although most easily compared to the Postal Service — the electro-pop side project of Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, I found the haunting melodies of The Finest Example of You more akin to those of a Death Cab song itself. Jankovich’s indie rock roots are conspicuous in spite of the dance beats and sampled material.
As popular cultural references abound, their lyrics are catchy, relevant, and at times humorous. “Signs of Perfection,” “Get Better Soon,” and “Cynical Weathers” are Death Cab-inspired pop, while the band shows off its diversity and musical talents by pumping up the electro on tracks like “Just Drop Off” and elevating the anger in “One to One.” “Our Surprise Decision” is instantly catchy and recognizable, I felt almost as if I’d heard this song (or something very similar) before.
The music is infectious; I would be hard pressed to find any individual who could refrain from the most minimal of foot tapping or head shaking while listening. The songs are peppier, more obviously dance music than that found in their earlier material. Yet this album should be in no way confused with the dance music spun every Saturday night by a headband-adorned DJ at any of the generic clubs on the Granville strip. This is the thinking person’s dance music, where the chorus contains lyrics of more discernable depth than “my, my, my, hey, hey, hey.” This is dance music to listen to; the lyrics are poignant and thought provoking and offer a chance for reflection.
I expect that this album will receive positive reviews in mainstream magazines like Spin and Rolling Stone. Although the Postal Service is the reigning master in the increasingly popular electro-pop genre, with The Finest Example of You, The Burnside Project demonstrate they are a force to be reckoned with.
