Eleven songs spotlight the debut album of Californian trio The Clean Prophets. Eleven songs, eleven sounds. This is one of those indie albums that catches your beat immediately, making it an enjoyable listen from the get-go. I must admit though, a part of the appeal of Praise is Poison may simply be its familiarity. A few back-to-back playings will undoubtedly lead into a sense of déjà vu (or, déjà écouté?)—In the second track it’s The Walkmen, in the title track, David Bowie and The Cure; 80s rock, brit-pop, and psychedelic rock: it’s all there.
The inclusion of the previously-heard is obvious enough that I assume the sound to be a purposeful homage to their musical influences, constructed into their own original scores. Although this doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of the album, it does make it a curious listen as these musicians-turned-game-hosts entice my ears into playing a game of name-that-tune.
Ultimately, I would refrain from insinuating that “praise is poison” for this band; these “prophets” are talented and capable musicians, wearing their hearts-on-their-sleeves, which is far from a “crime,” thus “more than enough” to convince me that they are a musical “addiction” that is just beginning.
