indy cd & vinyl

CD: EVERTHUS THE DEADBEATS! - “ADDICTS STUCK IN TRAFFIC”

Review: Muncie-born band Everthus The Deadbeats have been performing around our area for a while, and now they have finally released their debut EP. I must admit that when I first saw a gig by the band, I was not that impressed. They put on quite a stage show, but I felt that this was probably to cover for a lack of musical ability and originality. Well, I am happy to say that the evidence on their CD proves me decisively wrong. Everthus knows their music. The arrangements on their self-described “freak-pop” tunes (Talking Heads are the closest comparison point) are uniformly excellent and inventive. John Muylle and Lisa Berlin trade-off their vocal parts like pros, with Lisa sliding expertly in and out of the background. Also, the duos distinctive keyboard lines interweave beautifully (something I could not hear at their club date).

Guitarist Allen Bannister plays understated lines, but can come up with a beautiful solo when needed, as he does with a Pink Floydish approach on opening standout “Blackout”. Benny (the only name given—like Bono?) provides a solid bass underpinning. And drummer Daniel Fahrner may be their secret weapon, as his inventive beats and fills perfectly complement every song. My only complaint would be Muylle’s possible over-reliance on the “talk-sing” vocal approach of others in this genre (e.g., David Byrne), but this may be a mere personal bias. Muylle’s lyrics certainly fit this approach, as on “She” when he spits out a list of non-sequiters (“She has a duck on a chain,” “She’s bilingual,” “She dropped right out of law school”) over a stuttering drum beat. The production must come in for a special mention, as the overall approach wisely leaves a lot of space in the songs instead of cluttering up every possible second with layered guitars, unnecessary keyboard lines, etc. The best complement I can give is that when the CD ended, I was disappointed—I wanted more. Hopefully, the band will shun the “Deadbeat” aspect of their moniker and deliver a full length in the near future.