3 out of 5

Label: Antenna Farm

Producer: Agent Ribbons?

‘Let Them Talk’ is a great song.  ‘Family Haircut’ is a good song, but boxed with Talk, sounds too similar and thus derivative.  Whoops!

Speaking to the potential power of live music, Agent Ribbons are a band I never would’ve given a chance to if circumstance hadn’t put me at a bar where they put on a live set.  I’m gonna’ go all sexist on you and say that chick bands are a tough sell to me.  I not so secretly don’t think this is a sexist statement – in the same way that masculine growly bands might not appeal to chicky-doos, I think I’m allowed to say that songs about kissing boys with sunshiney pop beats might not do much for me, or the indie version of strummy strum folk and songs about heartbreak over boys that were kissed at one point.  There are always exceptions, of course, and there’s when it comes to some nonsense particulars of taste – that I tend to like a lack of preciousness in my music (in general), and the female vocalists I dig can either rip it the shit up (Sleater-Kinney) or have huskier vocals (Scout Niblett).  ‘Kay?  So if you put on any given Ribbons song, I might be misled – first off – by the mostly pleasant vocal harmonies.   And secondly by the choruses, which are evocative of the generic chick lyricism I mention above.

How…ever.  Seeing them live – guitar and drums – was an upfront example of the great energy the group has.  And the penchant for writing more than a couple chord progressions to score some poetry – there are actual hooks and breakdowns in songs that aren’t out of textbooks, and the drums thomp and rustle with enthusiasm and a better sense of timing and variation than stomper-to-the-extreme Meg White.  And those lyrics?  Well, something about listening to the group in close quarters (and maybe not having the option to turn it off or something) makes you listen, and something I would’ve considered generic actually straddles a nice line between girl angst and sarcasm and attitude – some of those questionable lines purposefully juxtaposed with another line I might’ve missed.

The last test was how this was committed to wax via production, as chick mixes (SEXIST – except compare with angry guy mixes, so blow me (male or female)) tend to wash the corners off of everything, but Agent Ribbons maintains the stomp and reverb on album.  The bonus MP3 track with this 7″ is a great lil’ swear word circus song that balances out the bubblegummy Murmurs pop of the two tracks.  Family Haircut sits more in the indie realm, with the way it stops and then builds up another guitar line, but Let Them Talk is a great track, smooth and composed, and shows how much polish and talent these two ladies have.