Some albums leap from the stereo, forcing the listener to hang on every hook in anticipation of what's coming next.
Others slowly and methodically work themselves under your skin--beginning as nothing more than tame background music and growing into cherished favorites. American Football's self-titled full-length album falls into the latter.
American Football hypnotizes with a subtle yet urgent feeling.
Built primarily on the back of cyclical guitar work and succinct percussion, American Football builds and strips back tension by expertly employing a small number of guitar plucks or snare hits.
On occasion, the group quietly removes itself from this mold via the achingly soft trumpet of drummer Steve Lamos.
Songs often take minutes to establish enough urgency to allow for the band's lead man to step to the microphone, and on occasion, they never reach this point.
Vocalist Mike Kinsella, formerly of Cap'n Jazz and Joan of Arc, timidly dots the tunes with small clusters of his sparse lyrics.
The interplay between subdued vocals and subtle instruments lends American Football a sense of introspection not often attained.
This feeling is what will ultimately endear the band to the group of fans that will undoubtedly spring up as a result of American Football.
American Football stretches itself out in comfortably languid waves of minimalistic, emotive indie-rock on its debut LP--an album that, given the chance, will work its way under your skin.
--Brian Gettler