GIFT GIVERS

What's on offer here is a collection of seemingly underdeveloped instrumentals, all of which tend to substitute repetition for progress. The electric guitar does have a fake tinny sound, which can sometimes be bothersome (like on "Jealous Dancing Days," which is an otherwise exceptional track. There's tons of potential here, but little of it is realized on this extremely brief album.

"Crystal Lake" Flaunting a disco flavor, this combines saxophone with violin sounds all on a bed of electronic boogie. It suffers greatly from repetition even if it is lighthearted and funky.

"Fingers Lightly Bowed" Electronic tones allow for a searing guitar to scream a couple of notes here and there. This terse, ninety-eight second piece reminds me a bit of David Gilmour-led Pink Floyd. Like the first track, it's repetitive, but at least it's brief.

"Fool's Guild" A steady two-chord progression on the Rhodes piano provides the foundation for that biting lead guitar. There is a musical shift that gives way to a pretty good dual guitar lead, but it lacks a proper transition- the change just rather happens. This is not a bad piece, but is again unripe in its arrangement.

"Gift Givers" This begins with a very fine electric piano riff, one that is almost haunting. Other instruments dance around this theme, but sadly the piece never goes anywhere.

"Jealous Dancing Days" The introduction to this is very exciting and right up my alley. Again, that tinny guitar almost ruins the euphoria, but compositionally, it's a highly creative affair. Admittedly, the music eventually devolves into a jam, but at least it's a good one.

"Pedal Nervous Sensation" Synthesizer and electric guitar begin this very familiar-sounding piece (I know I've heard this exact melody before, but I cannot place it). Again, it's quite imitative of a David Gilmour jam.

"Round Air Copy" Sonically unrelated to the previous tracks, this is a more atmospheric piece, with lots of electronic dabbling and modulations in the vein of Tangerine Dream.