The Rosebuds
Life Like
Merge
2008
Rating: 8 silky jumpshots out of 10
North Carolina duo The Rosebuds may not be putting records out at a Robert Pollard-type pace, but four records and an EP in five years is nothing to sneeze at. And on top of that, each and every one of them has been a great slice of indie pop music...not a weak platter in the bunch.
This newest outing, “Life Like”, finds the band retreating slightly from their last album of upbeat, electronics heavy dance tracks to a more subdued pop sound. There is a fair amount of synth layering in these new tracks, but it never crosses over into full “electro-pop” territory. This album continues the trend of Kelly Crisp contributing more in the lead vocal category - and where her voice would sometimes come across as tentative in previous releases, it is now a strong addition to the album (especially on the track “Another Way In”). My favorite songs on this record are “In The Backyard”, a song that has been floating around in various forms for a while and finally got the proper full-length treatment; and “Border Guards”, which isn't just my favorite song of this release but one of the best songs The Rosebuds have put out, period. If you are in a catchy, sometimes mellow pop kind of mood, you'd be doing yourself a favor to pick up this gem.
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