Self-Titled by Can't Kids
A week into working at The Jam Room, Can't Kids came in for two days of studio time to record what ended up being a 9-track full length record.
Can't Kids is a newer project that started as a duo consisting of Adam Cullum from Magnetic Flowers and drummer Jessica Oliver. Bassist Henry Thomas and cellist Amy Cuthbertson recently entered the flock, dynamically changing the feeling of Can't Kids.
They entered Jam Room with a giant container of Chock Full O Nuts coffee and their instruments, ready to lay down songs. I could sense anxiety, but the good kind. The kind that comes from staying up all night cause you can't sleep you're so excited. Creating an album for some requires little emotion or effort. For Can't Kids, it was more of a catharsis. It required rawness and unity within the timbre, and that is something often lost with over-produced records. With only two days, there is little room for error, and as the office guy I have no choice but to join them on this journey, even if it is by proxy.
They recorded the record to 2" tape which I love to see bands do. The drums they used were nothing special, and that is what made them perfect. They sound trashy but warm. They didn't go crazy with overdubs. They're vocal work blended well together, and any mistakes they made only added to the raw feeling the whole album carries.
The album starts with "Give Me a Grab" which you can hear on The Jam Room Soundcloud. It is a good tune, but perhaps my least favorite on the record. That is not an insult by any means, I think it really is more a compliment to the rest of the album. It is a more straight-forward tune with a very soothing tempo and works splendidly as an opening track.
The second song "Ghost Song" dynamically shifts the once soothing beat to a more somber vibe. They asked me if I'd be interested in singing on the part, and Adam told me that the words; "Let the dead rain on us. Let their piss fall up on our heads".
With having never truly heard Can't Kids and having no other context for those lyrics, I was intriqued and wondered how those lyrics would be served with a plethora of voices. I never ended up doing it, so when I heard the part "Ghost Song" I was pleasantly surprised how it turned out. I would flag this track as a standout track on the record.
"Happy Hippies", the third track on the record, was my favorite my first few listens through the album. The chaos and noise paired with such a surfy guitar makes for such a catchy yet gritty track. The cello and bass bring in such a great tension.
My new favorite track is track 5, which happens to be my favorite number. "Stab Grab" is the name, and it is by far the most punk track on the record. This song makes me proud to be living in Columbia.
There is a part on this track where everything falls apart, and this is the point where I realized that the cello really adds the nuances this band needs to set themselves apart from just about every band I know of in Columbia.
This suspicion was confirmed when I heard the cello start off one of my favorites entitled "Dimes". This song contains some of my favorite lyrics, and the song is a great testament to Adam's lyrical talent and wit. I took out little excerpts to prove this claim;
"If I had a dime for every time I lay you down, I could buy you that new car and fancy house in town. And if I had a nickel for every person that I hate, I could buy a fancy rifle and blow us all away."
"I'm the life of the party, I'm the cream of the crop. I'm a fat kid with problems, I'm a blip on the map."
"If I had a nickel for every person that I love, I could buy The Juice a brand new glove".
The rest of the record is pretty excellent, and the final track "Julie" is a beautiful track worthy of closing a well-done record. I pay close attention to openers and closing tracks, I think they set the mood and finish the ride. They don't have to be the best tracks, but they have to feel like a opening and closing track. "Julie" gives me such satisfaction.
So when this album will be released, I have no idea. What I do know is that they play at Conundrum January 10th, and you should let them know you are looking forward to hearing it. In fact, you should tell them they should release it on vinyl (it would sound pretty awesome that way).