I was confused because this is the type of music I listen to on a daily basis. In the past I couldn’t seem to get enough of what I would call the mainstream sound of indie rock, epitomized by Death Cab for Cutie. Death Cab was always the band I could listen to when nothing else seemed right. It was my staple. So why wasn’t I loving Electric President, who are admittedly one of the better groups to have sprung up in Death Cab’s shadow?
After giving it some thought, I think what has happened is that I’ve somehow become disillusioned with Death Cab, and maybe, at some point, I became uninterested in the many, many bands who emulate Ben Gibbard’s pretty, sweet vocals and heartfelt lyrics. I can’t seem to turn on the TV these days without being subjected to a Death Cab song being used to promote a seemingly endless stream of products and movies. And the fact that I can’t walk into my local Best Buy or Home Depot without the Sound of Settling playing in the background doesn’t seem to help either. Maybe I’ve just had enough.
I apologize for the lengthy preface to the review, it’s just that I felt I needed to explain my lukewarm tone because I can’t stress enough how good Electric President really is. Had I reviewed this album six, or maybe even two, months ago I would have been obsessed. I would have listened to Electric President incessantly.
I found the electronic portions of the songs to be the most interesting; definitely what would distinguish Electric President in a name-that-indie-rock-band test. “Good Morning Hypocrite” is a fantastic tune; it has soft, supple vocals with a classic song structure and just when you think it sounds a little too much like everything else, they throw in a really interesting electronic section.
“Farewell” also has an excellent electronic intro that’s really inspired; at seven minutes plus it’s one of the longest tracks on the album – and one of my favourites. It’s heartfelt in its pain, yet avoids being sappy. “Ten Thousand Lines” speeds things up a bit, and increases the intensity. Cooper’s nasal voice is great on this track. I like Electric President best when the electric guitars are dominant. .
If you like Death Cab, Bright Eyes, and The Postal Service, there is no reason why you won’t like Electric President. This is a great debut; Cooper and Cane have the sound and consistency of seasoned indie-rock veterans. So please, don’t let my less than overwhelmingly enthusiastic review discourage you from picking up this album. Because it is good. Really.
