Boston, it isn’t for everyone. But if you’re going to live there and deal with the lousy weather and drivers, you can at least take comfort in the fact that per capita, Boston has produced an unusually large number of landmark rock bands. And this isn’t just over a five year span like Seattle or Detroit. Each decade from the ’70s to the ’90s had its great Boston band. Yes, you’ll have to forgive the band “Boston” (see here for an apology from Toby) and, depending on your point of view, Aerosmith, but is that really so much to ask?
So now we’re halfway through the oughts and there’s still no great Boston band of the decade. It’s time for at least one candidate to raise its hand and make a claim to the title. Just in time, The Information have released a debut long player that shows the promise of reaching if not Pixies levels, at least Morphine levels, and that’s not too shabby.
The band has reached into the deep vein of Boston rock and found the common ground between groups like the Cars, the Modern Lovers and the Pixies. Surprisingly, it turns out there’s plenty of room to stretch out in the overlap. Every song has the unapologetic keyboard squeal, the loud edgy guitar licks and self-aware but not quite ironic vocals (including female backing vocals in the classic Deal pitch) that pull in the best from each forebearer.
The formula works, but this isn’t a concept band. The songs offer plenty of variety from the poppy “Simple Plan” the slightly industrial “Attention” to the multi-tempo closer “Breaking Me Down.”
The lyrics seem to all point to a single failed relationship. It’s not always clear which side is being argued for or against and that’s just fine. It’s about the words that get us through by abstracting the real pain.
In fact, the title Mistakes We Knew We Were Making seems to have the inverse effect that it had on the epilogue to A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. The epilogue used the title as an apology for the corner cutting that raises a story from the mundane. The album uses the title to describe the corners cut in a relationship to keep the truth below the surface. While the music is often cathartic, the lyrics focus on the words that seem to hurt (see: “I think that you’re worthless. I think you’re a whore.” from “Field Studies”) but in fact make things easier.
It’s worth noting that the band obviously invested some cash in sound. Local label acts too often go for the production values they can scare up with minimal effort. It’s as if the Information is looking ahead to the day when future albums send fans scurrying to the catalog for this early release.
And it’s clear the band isn’t done growing. The songs are still a little uneven and after establishing a sound, it will be interesting to see how future releases expand on the base. Also, since the best songs deal most directly with the break up, it remains to be seen if there is any other material in the well. But if you’re looking for this year’s album most likely to rival Surfer Rosa in the promising debut category, this is it.
The Information – Mistakes We Knew We Were Making
1) Bright Lights
2) Getting Even
3) I Lose Control
4) A Simple Plan
5) Tremble
6) New Deal
7) Field Studies
8) I Love Trouble
9) Attention
10) So Clear
11) Breaking Me Down
