Media Review

Surrogate

Love For The Rich (CD)

Tooth And Nail
website | mySpace

Overall Rating:

8.5

Music Quality: 9.0

Production: 9.0

Originality: 9.5

John Dickson, my friend, you couldn’t be more wrong.

I have to admit, it’s tough to contradict a fellow staff member, especially one whose taste I wholly respect and dig—but John, you couldn’t be more wrong.

I finally got around to picking up Surrogate’s recently released “Love For The Rich,” and I found myself immediately drawn in. Like Dickson mentioned, the record is entirely different than any other artist on Tooth And Nail Records, and while some of their bands are clearly innovators and genre breakers (“Neon Horse” comes to mind), Surrogate combine accessibility and technical, dry folk to form a sort of fusion of pop and indie. And I love it.

I think it wasn’t until “Easy Come, Easy Go” that my ears really perked up. Immediately reeling me in with a memorable guitar hook, the song kept me on the line with passionate, heartfelt lyrics—and steadfast, genuine honesty. I love the bittersweet lyrics, that are at once confusing and dark: “I’ve been waiting for years to say, I’m so sorry to hear, and yeah, he was a great man.” The song has lyrics that are utterly tragic, but are buried with ambiguity. The chorus leaves the listener confused: “Easy come, easy go, you know, it doesn’t make a difference in the long run.” Does the singer miss the recently departed, or does he feel indifference? The mortal reconciliation going on here reveals the most refreshing, memorable lyrics I’ve heard all year.

The mood on the CD varies—from the dark, passionate feel of “Easy Come, Easy Go” to the downbeat, passive feel of “Photographic Memory” to the ambient droning on “Popular Mechanics,” and finally to the laid back, country twang of “The Fence,” the album showcases an array of styles.

Vocally, too, the album is quite impressive, with incandescent melodies from the two singers—at moments reminiscent of Copeland (yes, Dickson), clearly noticeable on the song "15" which features falsetto melodies from both singers much in the way Copeland does it. However, at most other moments quite their own; one of the great vocal moments on the record occurs in the breathy, soft-spoken initial track.

It really surprises me to see that anyone, especially an open minded indie-lover like Dickson, would dislike this record. It’s filled with painful, passionate, heartfelt lyrics and backed with all sorts of textured instrumentation. From keyboards to pedal steel, you’ll hear it on this record. Lyrically, it’s one of the strongest releases of the year, and the stories told in each track are memorable and leave a deep impact.

I strongly recommend you at least give this band a shot—and John, you and I are going to have a talk, and get your hearing checked. Just kidding…Kind of.

reviewed by Andrew Martin