Nevado Records
The Paint Movement is one of those bands that just can’t avoid being compared to Broken Social Scene. After all TPM’s self-titled debut album — which was released earlier this month — was produced by David Newfeld of You Forgot It in People and Broken Social Scene fame.
Hushed vocals are exchanged between male and female vocalists in similar fashion to Feist and Drew (“Heart Lids”). Guitar lines — although slightly more formulaic in the TPM rendition – are cleverly accompanied with heavy smacks on the toms (“Fortune’s Window”).
But despite the nearly shocking similarity of sound TPM has managed to make a solid debut album which suggests a great deal of potential for future efforts. Although the band is still finding its sound there are a few elements of the music which uniquely demand attention.
Take the presence of the saxophone for example. Unlike TPM’s label partner Library Voices (which I criticized last week for not having enough sax) there is an abundance of the instrument throughout the album. Songs are arranged in a way that prioritize the sax which gives the band a slightly more jazzy feel on tracks such as “Is it True.” In saying that the sax player really needs to work on his tone as many of his high notes sound flat.
There is certainly some work to do before TPM can cement itself in the indie rock circuit (and probably a spot or two on BSS’s roster). But it is after all the band’s first album.
