Make Believe already has it’s indie stamp of approval by having Tim Kinsella singing

Artist: Make Believe
Album: Shock of Being
Label: Flameshovel Records
Tracks: 13
Length: 42:09

I have become a fairly big fan of Flameshovel releases lately, thanks to my local indie record store. They get most of Flameshovel’s new releases in at ridiculously low prices. Of the six records I own from them, five are just really, stinkin’ cool. Even the album I wasn’t too fond of simply oozes quality. I mean, with indies releasing this kind of quality, both in packaging and recording, there is really no need for major labels. Of course, Make Believe already has it’s indie stamp of approval by having Tim Kinsella (of such bands as Cap’n Jazz, Joan of Arc, Owls, etc) singing.

I was telling a friend who owns the previously mentioned record store about writing this review and how this album would have been simply stunning… if it wasn’t for Kinsella’s vocals. “They’re too redundant,” said I. “They seem to overpower the music, causing an odd and constant battle between the sounds of the voice and the sounds of everything else,” I explained. “They’re the only part of the album I just can’t enjoy,” I finished. My friend was properly sympathetic but promptly told me that if I wrote anything like that I would die. To loosely quote him, “People worship that man and if you publish a review where you criticize his part at all, they’ll rake you across the coals.”

Ok. I would just as soon avoid any unpleasantries due to this review, such as dying and being coal raked. So my official view is this: Tim Kinsella is flippin’ sweet. Now that business is taken care of, on to everything else.

For me the real draw of this album is the guitar playing, which is really solid. It’s got that even feel as if (whether true or not I do not know) it was nailed perfectly in one take. The playing is smooth with a Roadside Monument quality in tone. When it speeds up it feels frantic without the baggage of feeling stressed or loosing it’s even keel. To top it off, the lines get repeated numerous times so you know how intentional it was (think Gastr Del Sol).

Over all I’m excited about this album. (Edit: Tim Kinsella is flippin’ sweet!) But even as is this is an album I’d buy.