Sound Team - "Movie Monster" (Parlophone)
3/5
By: Chris O'Toole
Under the limelight and on the stage this would be called an ensemble cast. There are no stars and each member of the performance is allocated their share of snazzy one-liners and tear-jerking departures. As such the weight of the performance is shared amongst the group and the piece is focused on the strengths of all involved and not a single individual. A collective effort, it is thought, will produce a higher quality product for the audience to enjoy.
On record these values are employed to create a democratic recording, acknowledging and utilising the skills of each member of the band concerned. No personality is charged with the creative direction of the band, instead consensus is trusted as a virtue. In the case of Sound Team this translates to equal contribution from the six members of the group; each pushing their debut record forward with equal verve. Trusting the abilities of their group each member is content to sit as part of the mix, and is not constantly seeking to break free of the mêlée with a dramatic solo flourish.
Although the standard arsenals of bass/keys/drums/guitars are employed here it is Sound Teams fluid interchange in importance of the elements of their sound that comes to reflect their identity. Each musician is capable of employing their instrument with murderous intent or a mild restraint, unafraid to either take the lead or sit quietly at the back depending on the needs of the track. As a result the record is strong on texture and depth, building a colourful whole from a collage of miniature mosaic tiles.
For example on 'Born To Please', the first single from the album, Bill Baird's bass and Jordon R. Johns drum parts form the skeleton of the track, whilst a jangle guitar line adds only the thinnest layer of flesh. In contrast, on 'No More Birthdays' it is Matt Oliver's vocal and guitar contributions that define the direction of the track. This equality emerges as one of the bands greatest strengths, following the direction of the music and not the ego of the individual, particularly on the albums closer 'Handful of Billions', a worthy successor to either 'The Rat' or 'Slow Hands'.
The only notable exclusion from this collage of sound are the vocals of Matt Oliver. As the principal songwriter in the band Oliver was already the first amongst equals, but it is his impassioned, histrionic vocals that lift 'Afterglow Years' and 'Shattered Glass' to a higher level of recording. This adds to the interesting and introspective lyrics, also provided by Oliver.
Only occasionally does the team ethos work against Sound Team. On 'Movie Monster' they are unafraid to borrow influences, lifting from a range of sources including the electronic equipment taking over the world menace of Krautrock on the title track, to the Gang of Four protégés referenced on TV Torso. And when Sound Team betray their influences so starkly it undermines the strength and breadth of their own song writing, leaving a handful of their tracks lacking real substance. Luckily the production of Mike McCarthy prevents Sound Team succumbing to the ideas of those outside the band very often, shaping a more focused effort.
Overall the record treads similar territory to Interpol or Arcade Fire, no specifically in audio sensibilities, but in its attempt to weld underground chic to mainstream ideals in search of success. Sound Teams accomplishments will be judged on their ability to use their obvious talents and exclude some of the more palpable references. 'Movie Monster', especially 'Handful of Billions', is a promising start and by their next album perhaps Sound Team really will be 'the next big-thing'.
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