Bolstering our digitally influenced local cloister, with the likes of the Other Bones and Sunset Hearts, are GinLab, a five-piece mix of traditional bass-drums-guitar and synth-beats-Kaoss Box that is more sarcastic and ironic than danceable.Their second EP, the four-song Abandoned Home, may bear most resemblance to the Magnetic Fields, with frontman Tyler DeVos reaching low in a song like "Party Girl" to eviscerate a gal who wakes up with "vomit in your hair/And searching for your T-shirt." Like Stephin Merritt, he brings in some lovely backing vocalists, too, like Amanda Gervasi, who just murders her verse in "Here We Are Now," the best of the four tracks here: "Everyone is so in touch/I know your favorite band, and movies/And who you fuck." Kevin Hardison's bassline is playful to match the major chords and there's a touch of World Party to the song in general.
There are other times, though, when the lead vocals are mixed a little low, or could just use more oomph as a whole. Perhaps that will be fixed in the final master, which I don't have. And they miss some opportunities to really pack a punch, as in the finish to "Here We Are," where the crescendo to the last chorus just doesn't quite have it.
Still, it's an interesting sound and there's potential for some really nice singles down the road.
ABANDONED HOME | Released by GinLab | at the Big Easy, in Portland | Dec 18 | facebook.com/GinLabTheBand
Related:
Review: Magnetic Fields at the Wilbur Theatre, Join the Gypsy caravan, Rick Berlin | Paper Airplane, More 
- Review: Magnetic Fields at the Wilbur Theatre
“Similarly, here’s another song about miserable death,” Stephen Merritt drolly informed us between songs.
- Join the Gypsy caravan
The latest on Gypsy Tailwind, Low-Flying Airplanes, and more
- Rick Berlin | Paper Airplane
Hi-N-Dry
- Upcoming albums: The winter of our deep content
There was a time when winter in Portland was pretty sleepy, with bands holing up to practice and write while the snowflakes flew. No longer. The album-release schedule is now equally robust year-round, and there are big shows just about every weekend through to spring.
- Dan Capaldi steps out from behind the kit
In addition to plenty of other projects, Dan Capaldi has played drums now for two of Portland's most important bands of the last five years: the brightly burning Cambiata and the still-on-the-rise Holy Boys Danger Club.
- We've got ventriloquists
Uhhh, what are we supposed to make of GINLAB?
- A fortunate event
This coming Saturday, author Daniel Handler, in the persona of his alter-ego Lemony Snicket, delivers the "Kids' Keynote" address at the Boston Book Festival.
- Introducing ANNA
It would appear Gypsy Tailwind's tumultuous ride has lost its backing breeze.
- Poor WGME
As the gubernatorial primary date inches closer, we’re starting to see more and more TV ads showing would-be governors touting themselves and their qualifications for the job.
- Notes from a Borderland
What we learn from immigrants
- Murdoch mishegoss
Never mind that Rupert Murdoch is shelling out better than $2 billion to buy Metromedia’s seven TV stations. Never mind that he’s then turning around and reselling Boston’s WCVB-TV, Channel 5 to the Hearst Corporation for an astounding $450 million.
- Less
Topics:
CD Reviews
, Stephin Merritt, Amanda Gervasi, GinLab
