Downtown crafts a masterfully bleak view of life in their promising self-titled debut, due on Jan. 25. This talented New York City duo already looks destined to join the ranks of discoverers Flood and Alan Moulder's previous production credits, which include the Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails and My Bloody Valentine.
Downtown mixes the somber guitar strumming of Eric Brendo with the lovesick vocals and electronic effects of Robert Kaeding to design a gripping soundscape. Downtown skillfully writes indulgently sad songs like "Still Drownin'," synth-driven pieces like "One More Trip Downtown," and upbeat, witty tracks like "Colorful Little Boxes" without ever sounding like they're overextending.
The album takes the listener on a memorable 58-minute ride of hope and despair. As it should, opener and first single "Twilight" pulls the listener into Downtown's world with a charging pace reminiscent of Interpol.
The next two tracks darken the album's mood to a Smashing Pumpkin-esque murkiness in which you find yourself glumly nodding your head to a desolately slow beat. "'Feels so good in the afternoon/When the summer thunderstorm darkens the room / The heat runs out of the window / And the candles dance to their doom," sings Kaeding in the incredibly hypnotic "Thunderstorm."
Like throwing a lifesaver through the speakers, Downtown shifts the mood entirely in the opposite direction in "Nowhere to Hide," a song sounding somewhere in between the works of Ambulance LTD and Athlete. It's quite upbeat in comparison. Two tracks later comes "Colorful Little Boxes," a cleverly simple bit about love being everywhere, but especially in gifts costing $69.95.
The rest of the songs stay somewhere in between the vibes of "Thunderstorm" and "Nowhere to Hide." They're sad enough to be considered mellow, yet are imbued with a vitality and hopefulness that keeps them from becoming depressing. It would be a lie to say the second half of the LP is as strong as the first, but it's still pretty damn compelling.
Downtown's self-titled album is a satisfying debut that shows great promise. The duo plays great songs while leaving you with the impression they can be even better. It's highly recommended to lovers of mellow alternative rock.
