THE RUM DIARY

— First review of this album —

THE RUM DIARY is a local Bay Area band that formed in the northern city of Cotati, CA in 2000 and has been called California's own version of Mogwai with ample traces of Midwest Emo pop sounds and overall those assessments are quite accurate. The band consists of Daniel McKenzie (bass), Jon Fee (bass, vocals), Joe Ryckebosczh (drums), Schuyler Feekes (drums, keyboards) and has released three albums and this EP debut A KEY TO SLOW TIME which was released in 2002. The band's name came from the Hunter S. Thompson novel and is a mix of noise rock, space rock and post-rock.

This EP contains five tracks which differ. The opening 'The Day Dale Earnhardrt Died' is an emo indie pop track with vocals whereas the second track 'Sathergate' dives into the post-rock realms with the classic cyclical loops, jangly guitar with some noisy distortion now and again and lots of spaced out ambience swishing around in the background and yes it does sounds a lot like Mogwai, too much so in fact. The vocals sound a bit like Modest Mouse or Built to Spill. Overall there's too much influence and not enough originality here.

I usually like to discuss the music more but there's not much to discuss. This is basically a been there done that style of indie rock / post-rock trying to pretend that something relevant is going on. Add to that, the melodies are mediocre, the performances are meh and the music only wants me to bust a bottle of rum and drink to a stupor which i would do if it weren't for the nasty hangover that would ruin tomorrow's plans. A forgettable release from a forgettable band which was put on hold in 2007 when Fee and Mckenzie started a new project called Shuteye Union. Best track is definitely the lengthy closer 'Bright After Rain' but not enough to make this album worthy of ever listening to again.

2.5 rounded down