Darker My Love
2
(Dangerbird, 2008)

After spending some time as hired guns for the lineup of the Fall, guitarist and vocalist Tim Presley and bassist and vocalist Rob Barbato are refocused on Darker My Love. The simply-named 2 is a layered endeavor in ethereal sonics that rarely comes up for air. The press release advises critics not to “talk about shimmering guitars and fuzz boxes or psychedelic nonsense.” So we’ll try not to. You probably already know about the band’s shimmer, fuzz, and penchant for the psychedelic anyway.

The atmosphere on this record is made up of tight vocal harmonies, strings, organ, lots of reverb, shaker, tambourine, and so forth. On paper it looks like a mess, but producer Dave Cooley, who has worked in both the realms of cut-n-paste hip-hop (Madlib, J-Dilla) and orchestral rock (David Axelrod) has the ear and skills to keep this behemoth balanced.

The record begins with “Northern Soul” (the CD does anyway; the vinyl copies are reportedly getting their own tracklisting). “Northern Soul” thumps along with a trudging, four-to-the-floor stomp courtesy of drummer Andy Granelli. During the last 40 seconds the drums introduce a backbeat, but it falls counter to the initial rhythm and so is actually another downbeat. Darker My Love likes playing around difficult beats. On the heels of the 6/8 jazz waltz “White Composition” comes “Add One to the Other”, which, as its name suggests, begins with a 5/4 pattern but adds one measure of 6/8 every four measures.

Aside from the rhythmically-related sequencing of those tracks, the band also sequences songs to flow right into each other. The coda at the end of the lengthy build of “All the Hurry & Wait” is actually an intro to the brief, speedy “Waves”, which in turn holds its last note until the drums introduce “Talking Words.”

The tight, straightforward “Talking Words”, which straddles grunge and Rubber Soul in temperament is a winning song, one that you don’t expect to be the penultimate track on the record. While they may consider this number as a future single, I agree that “Two Ways Out”, which I first saw them perform earlier this year at the SF Noise Pop festival and recently enjoyed in music video form, remains my favorite. I am unabashedly drawn to its surf hooks and catchiness.

Darker My Love has spent recent weeks jetting around the West Coast in what they’ve called a West Coast residency. Now they’re off to open up a slew of dates for the Dandy Warhols. This is a fitting lineup that will likely lead some to speculate that Darker My Love is the next Brian Jonestown Massacre. Time will tell.

Listen: Various Tracks [at myspace.com]

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