The Insomniacs--Switched On!
Estrus 2004
When you think of garage rock n' roll (the real stuff--not what the mainstream media has labeled as being it), "angelic" and "pristine" are not the words that typically spring to mind. However, once you delve into the pop end of this genre, things can change. Both those tags certainly apply to the music of the Insomniacs. With this fourth album of theirs, Switched On, they've delivered something even more special than the shure thing you expected this to be.
For those of you who've been living under a rock, the Insomniacs play jangly modern mod pop to perfection. In fact, they do so better than anyone else--you will not find this style executed any more proficiently than it is on Switched On. If you're looking for something raw, this isn't for you. However, if sweet, clean, and catchy is your thing, this stuff is pure heaven. "Radio-ready" seems a fitting adjective.
Switched On plays off as so infectuous thanks to its flawless collection of pure pop wizardry. Fortified with dreamy harmony backing vox, the light blasts of treble fuzz on "She's A Mess" make it one of the better rockers in this batch. "Tomorrow" is the most spare sounding track on Switched On, managing to recall the Byrds, to a degree. Still, this album is at its best when crossover appeal looks to be at a premium, as on the Matthew Sweet akin "It's Gone," as well as with the sitar and phase washed "Leave," sure to appeal to Soundtrack Of Our Lives fans.
Along with the Fall-Outs' most recent album, Summertime, Switched On is perhaps the most accessible recording Estrus has ever issued. If a wider audience gets to lay ears on this, that will be a great thing, because the Insomniacs deserve the attention. Do yourself a favor and pick this up before they become the hip buzz band on everyone's lips. Not a blemish to be found--completely without fault.
Score this CD directly from ESTRUS
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