Division Day
Beartrap Island
self-released
By David Barker
Beartrap Island is a triumphant debut LP, as
worthy of praise for its substance as for its DIY aesthetic and
sonic diversity. Division Day coalesced in 2001 when its
four members took up residence in that bastion of creativity and
progress that is a friend’s bedroom. The Los Angeles
natives are one of a slew of bands to be canonized by the recent
explosion of mp3 blogs, but Division Day are one of few who are
actually deserving of the hype. Beartrap Island follows
up two EPs from the band; 2004’s The Mean Way In and
an earlier, eponymous one that’s since gone out of print.
Basically, Beartrap Island is a grab-bag. Reaching
in blindly and unprepared, you’ll be clueless when it comes
to expectations. “Catch Your Death” opens with
hard-hitting cymbal crashes and jarring keys before segueing into
restrained melody capitalizing on Rohner Segnitz’s effective
vocal style—not over the top, and not understated, but cognizant
of its emotive abilities. “Hurricane” is almost country-tinged,
its wistful vocals breezily carried over guitar work that yearns
to delve into a twang, but steadies itself on a sturdy bassline
and foreboding lyrics (“I will make it like a real hurricane/you
will know my color!”) before climaxing in (paradoxical as
it sounds) sunny melancholy. The reserved, minimal percussion
and rhythm of “Hand to the Sound” complements its seemingly-nonsensical,
albeit interesting lyrical approach. Segnitz rambles on singing
adders, jackals and sparrows; while its allegory may or may not
exist, the song either proves its writer’s brilliance or
bizarre imagination, a point on which I’m unsure as well. “Tigers” is
what bands like Taking Back Sunday would create if they weren’t
preoccupied with its following of teenage girls, as the track is
probably the record’s most accessible, straight-forward number
and has a steady, driving rhythm pushing through the repetitious
exclamation of “I want your blood inside my head.”
Where Beartrap Island may miss in the cohesive
record department, it makes up for in its original approach to
songwriting and the songs’ elusive meanings. Whether
cranking out noisy guitars or bordering on quirky pop melodies,
Division Day are a competent and compelling bunch, leaving little
to be desired and catering to no particular audience.
|
