Born from a ticker tape flurry of hype and prophetic press, the 1900s swaggered into position to officially launch their debut EP, Plume Delivery, to a packed crowd of local devotees. Screaming their names with such fervor, you would’ve thought Chicago was sending the octet off for good. A vision quest in the rhinestone desert of fame.
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The 1900s
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 Entertainment
 Art
Schubas
Chicago, Ill.
June 3, 2006
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With the stage depth of an early psychedelic variety show, the 1900s paint a broad arc through our many decades of excess. Think drug smugglers circa the late 70s with a classic rock habit. Think mod background singers twisting in the self assuredness of white vinyl. Think prog machinations of mid 80s symphonics. Think new millennium indie rockers with the bedroom habit of strings.
Matching their historical allegories with a well-rounded sound, the 1900s float their magic carpet through numerous genres musical inheritances, including the oft made comparisons of Belle and Sebastian, The New Pornographers, The Zombies, and The Mamas and The Papas.
While their studio music and instrumentation may keep up with these pioneers, the vocal range and lyrical substance is another story. Comparisons aside, songs like Bring the Boys Back Home and A Coming Age come across more as some saccharin teenage dreaming than an accomplished musical position. Somebody like Syd Barret might have had enough acid for an elephant, but he could still make an insouciant song about an octopus come off as valid.
Outside of the studio, lead singer and primary song writer, Edward Anderson, comes across more nasally and off-key than charmingly naïve and dazed. Murph O’Toole, who filled in for Anderson with Vocals, Tamborines, and a boat load of ostentation, landed quite flat on the live microphone. However, judging from their EP, this seemed more like a consequence of the mixing or the venue.
Mike Jasinski, who plays synth and guitar, is truly the backbone behind their psychedelically laced pomp and candor, looping petal crashes and harmonic flutters. Tim Minnick on drums brings a lot of energy, keeping the songs flowing urgent and seamless. From the shadows, Charlie Ransford manages to subtly ripen our minds with bass.
In the name of variety/antiquity, the 1900s extend the rock and roll set of electric and bass guitar, drums, and synthesizer to include dual violin/viola (“the birds”) and background melody.
While they haven’t quite mastered the livid spree of antiquity and pop intelligence of some of their peers (the Decemberists for example, who critics will no doubt stand them up against), there is no question that the 1900s are talented musicians with cut loose ambition and star-image potential.
After all, they just released their debut EP and they already have a city full of seasoned, inde listeners under their ashen thumbs.
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