Throw Me the Statue
Creaturesque
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Label: Secretly Canadian
Hillside houses tower over a modest swimming pool, while palm leaves and other foliage cover almost every inch in sight. The sun begins to cast long shadows; this is the cover of Throw Me the Statue’s latest, Creaturesque. The image alone evokes the lazy days of summer, where one lounges around, soaking up the heat as the world continues on; this is the essence of TMTS’s sound.
Scott Reitherman, the creative mind behind TMTS, is all about a stripped-down approach to his music. Moonbeams, his debut effort, was literally produced in his bedroom with him playing the majority of the instruments alone. The lo-fi sound has now been replaced, with various Seattle musicians fleshing out the lineup, and Creaturesque certainly benefits. On the opener, “Waving at the Shore,” the band wastes no time getting catchy. Handclaps enhance the quick drumbeat and the surf-meets-xylophones sound gives the song a feel-good summer groove. “Pistols” follows with a samba-laced rhythm backing up a lazy acoustic guitar and droning keys, reminiscent of David Byrne. “Baby, You’re Bored” and “Shade for a Shadow” continue the sound in the same laid-back vein. Variety, here, is provided by TMTS tossing off a few nuggets of solid indie rock as well. “Ancestors,” easily a standout, is heavy on distorted bass and quick-stepping drums. There is attitude in this song that evokes the sense that the band’s almost racing against itself to the end. This is a heavier sound not usually associated with TMTS; more rock than surf, more aggressive than relaxed, and they pull it off with ease.
There is not one unapproachable song to be had, although a few may challenge one’s comfort level. “Tag” starts off with a pulsating drum machine, giving way to minor chords on acoustic guitars and pounding keys. Howling in the background completes the relatively dark track, contrasting the album’s otherwise sunny feel. Perhaps the lowest-keyed song is “The Outer Folds,” finishing off the album. Reminiscent of Ben Gibbard’s style of slightly offbeat or even off-key sound, this meandering ballad lies low with hardly any volume, slowly wrapping up the record.
With the expansion of their repertoire on this quality record, TMTS have shown that growing beyond the lo-fi sound is within their reach. Plenty of songs are destined to make it onto your summer playlist. Though there’s room for improvement, part of enjoying a band is seeing how they have grown and sometimes getting a glimpse of what they are capable of becoming.
by Josh Vietti
