Fairview - We'll Dodge It On The Way Back (+Extras)

Fairview
We'll Dodge It On The Way Back (+Extras)
SideCho Records
Grade: A-

This is one of those records that gets better and better with each listen, to the point where it kicks ass and enters the realm of a favorite. Coming out of Orange County, CA and only rockin' the mic for a short period of time, this record is amazing. We'll Dodge… is sort of a collage of past material, new material and live recordings. Be that as it may, it is supremely exceptional.

The first song "Telegrams" institutes what will become the truth throughout the rest of the record. It is an epic of music that crescendos up to multiple guitars, keyboards and male/female singing. In this sense it is reminiscent of the best of Jazz June or Jejune, but with a much stronger head of pop sensibilities over eccentricism. This excellence is mimicked on "Chinese New Year" and "Revolving Doors." Among the live acoustic songs include the excellent "Telegrams," "Henry" and "Just One Day of Looking Terrific." Also, check out the splendid demo of "Next to Nothing." As an extra on the record is some CD-Rom material including a video for "In a Crowd (Right Now)" and a brief visual history of the band. The song ("In a Crowd (Right Now)") is stellar and the simple indie video fits the band and their essence quite well. It is mostly the band rockin' in an overdone garage mixed with scenes of 80s girls playing a video dating game, staring, of course, the band themselves. The video makes them appear like the second coming of Superchunk. The other visual material includes a bunch of old concert posters and photos.

As you may take from this review, there is a lot to offer on this record and it is well worth the dolla dolla bills ya'll. The "wow" element of Fairview makes them very attractive to the listener. Fairview has made a name for themselves on the road and they are not stopping now. So, check them out when they come to our town.