Battery

If you ask the average all-knowing Seattle-ite what they think of Aveo, 91.7% of those polled will proclaim their love. My prediction is that with the release of their latest album, "Battery," their approval rating will hit record numbers... and even previous admirers will be astounded.You might recall that Aveo's 2001 release, "Bridge to the Northern Lights" fell victim to frequent comparisons to The Smiths. Since then Aveo lead singer-guitarist William Wilson's blue-wail-Morrissey-vibrato and the band's jaunty-jangly (jaungly?) instrumentation has matured into a sound that is distinct enough to call their own. To compare "Battery" to anything only diminishes the album's potency, precision and grace. This evolution in addition to the patented Phil Ek production expertise (Pretty Girls Make Graves, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse) makes for a near faultless second release (and their first on the Barsuk label).Each song tells a perfectly crafted story of self reflection. Wilson's distinctive vocals accented with sorrowful moans create a musical sparseness that evokes the beauty and comfort of solitude.Beginning with "Newton and Galileo", the listener is transported to a place where the air is wintry, still, and quiet. Mike Hudson's bass guitar and Jeff MacIsaac's drums complement sparse guitars and dark vocal harmonies to create a feeling of yearning and introspection. An undercurrent of the longing for a liberation that is never quite realized. It is a reminder that sometimes resolution is more resignation than release...[read more at [...]

This is a band from Seattle. This is their second record. They mix melodic rock with dark moods. They are often compared to The Jam and Talk Talk. Aveo is actually much closer in spirit to the New York band Natural History. Aveo deals with the subject of science and the weather. In songs like "Newton and Galileo" and "The Idiot On The Bike" much of this fascination with serious themes is displayed. Their invention in realm of melody and music is fairly fresh and new. They don't just sound like the generic indie bands out there that often copy a style. It is not really a grunge thing. It is a surprising record that abounds in invention. They are much like some punk-punk bands from twenty years ago who often dropped through the cracks. There is hope and eagerness in their mood. It is refreshing. It is like a record you would listen to in the morning on weekends. Maybe they are worth checking out live, to see if they add a further dimension.

Battery by Aveo is part shoegaze pop and part traditional indie rock. The band expertly crafts hypnotic melodies and combines them with catchy hooks, channeling groups like The Smiths. Ultimately, Aveo has created a work on-par with some of the best efforts by bands like their former labelmates, Death Cab for Cutie. It is truly a shame that this album has not found a broader audience, as it contains songs that really should be considered classics.Battery opens with "Newton and Galileo," a stand-out track that fully demonstrates what this album has to offer, mesmerizing dream-pop with Northwestern flair. This song would feel right at home sandwiched between a classic Jesus & Mary Chain song and another track from a new group like Bon Iver.And for a group that does often remind the listener of other great bands, (Catherine Wheel and My Vitriol also come to mind) they manage to be strikingly original. They often rely on unconventional sounds and chord structures. The vocals manage to be both sweet and melancholy at the same time. The result is a haunting, atmospheric record with strong pop sensibilities.Some criticize Battery for running out of steam halfway through. If so, it is only because the album opens with two of the best relatively unknown indie songs of the past decade. Expecting Aveo to fill an entire album with tracks like these is unfair and unrealistic. After evaluating each song on its own merits, it is clear that this is not an album of two great songs and a bunch of filler. True, not everything is radio-ready, but there is not a bad song on the album, either. Each track is independently interesting.Overall, I strongly recommend giving "Newton and Galileo" a listen. If you like what you hear, there's a whole album-full where that came from. In my view, the only thing that's disappointing about Battery is the fact that, now six years later, Aveo has not yet released a follow-up album.

A real gem of a record! Dark, yet graceful & catchy music that evokes the likes of the Smiths and early Cure, yet has a sound all its own, featuring pleasant, somewhat subdued, yet emotional vocals, chiming guitars, very melodic bass runs, and spot-on drumming.The overall feel is dark & gloomy, yet somehow the music is uplifting and catchy as hell. It took a few listens for the tunes to really sink in, but now they're stuck in my mind, and will undoubtedly be for a long time. This one will sound just as good 20 years on as it does now.