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Map - "San Francisco in the 90's" |
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Written by AUGUST FORTE
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Saturday, 08 April 2006 |
Recalling both the aching bedroom pop of The Smiths and the nervous jangle of early R.E.M., Map's “San Francisco in the 90's” is the kind of EP that could have enjoyed limited airplay on college radio in the late 1980s before being relegated to footnote status in the archives of the CMJ.
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Map
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 Entertainment
Art
"San Francisco in the 90’s"
(Velvet Blue Music)
Released April 8, 2006
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Upon first listen, there is nothing particularly daring or forward-thinking about the six songs collected. At worst they are “twee” and suggestive of countless groups who manufactured quasi-sophisticated pop music for the “120 Minutes” crowd. Opener “Breakfast at Ikea” is especially thin in its attempt to be winsome-the type of misfire that a band like The Ocean Blue used to make a career of.
After a few spins, however, winning moments prevail to make the EP somewhat listenable. The title track boasts a nifty 60's pop guitar hook and warm piano accents, while “Au Bord de la Mer” stretches out a bit stylistically and sounds more contemporary than the other five cuts.
Map shows a certain musical prowess on “San Francisco in the 90's” but falls short when it comes to consistency and ingenuity. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
