Another typical Deep Elm Record
Deep Elm have a bit of a reputation for having a catalogue solely consisting of records released by moping heart-on-sleeve teenagers, who lament loves lost through tired second-rate poetic clichés. This isn't helped when Settlefish state that their lyrical content is influenced by "human interaction and failed relationships". However, whilst it may be true that the majority of Deep Elm's output is routed in a deeply emotional vein, emotional vulnerability isn't the label's sole objective and criteria, and to dismiss it on such a basis would be unfair - especially considering the high quality most of their bands maintain.
Settlefish go some way to breaking the mould for what is a predominantly American label by consisting largely of members from our side of the Atlantic, with guitarist/vocalist and founding member Jonathon Clancy the only Americana in their ranks. The other four fifths hail from Italy where the band are based, and where 'The Plural Of The Choir'; the band’s follow-up to 2003's debut 'Dance A While, Upset', was recorded. Brian Deck; who has also mixed records for Modest Mouse and Tortoise, not only took care of production duties but also contributed with the percussion and drumming on the album – he used to play in both Red Red Meat and Califone.
When you listen to albums like this you really have to wonder were the dodgy reputation came from, as far from being a gang of preening youths, Settlefish are a group of very accomplished musicians. Throughout the album they display a wonderfully light-touch; emotions are coaxed from their instruments rather than wrought – an introspective tussle rather than a struggle with control and restraint.
Sprawling opener 'Kissing Is Chaos' sounds like emo godfathers Boys Life (and trust me, compliments don't come much higher than that), with an almost identical start to 'Twenty Four Of Twenty Five' (off their 'Departures & Landfalls' album). 'Oh Well' has a Cursive-like pomp to it's stomp, before the rapid lyrical delivery of 'The Barnacle Beach' arrives with complimentary string-twisting guitars; a real display of all-round dexterity. The gentle atmospherics of instrumental intermission 'Getting The Clicks Out Of Our Hearts' find stylistic comparisons to fellow Deep Elmers The Appleseed Cast; a soft blanket of reverborous noise that is kind of like the sound you hear when you hold a sea shell to your ear. The mathy 'To The North' take it's cues from Cap'n Jazz and Minus The Bear, and the more frantic 'Blinded By Noise' is punctuated by some ATD-I style vocal yelps. 'Two Cities, Two Growths' is notable for it's excellent start; a swirling melee of unsettling off-kilter loops.
One thing that you notice when listening to 'The Plural Of The Choir' is how short the songs are, with the majority coming in under the three-minute mark. This has forever been a trait of heavier and more technical bands, but is somewhat unusual in a genre usually distinguished by longer running times. They certainly make up for it with a fulsome fifteen tracks - you more than get your moneys worth, and the songs are consistently varied enough to avoid the album seeming repetitive.
Settlefish are still relative newcomers, with their only other release being a tasty sounding split EP with Sounds Like Violence (who are excellent) and Desert City Soundtrack (who aren't half bad either), but on this evidence it would appear that they have a long and prosperous future ahead of them. So for all you doubters out there, yes, this is another typical Deep Elm Record – it's very good indeed.