As I have finally laid my hands upon one of my most anticipated releases of 2009, Abe Vigoda's Reviver EP (the others being Thursday's Common Existence [which is a sprawling disappointment] and Manchester Orchestra's Mean Everything to Nothing), I am musically pacified. In the months leading up to the EP's release I have heard teetering (yet logically corresponding) reviews from chums and reviewers. Overall, the former deemed the EP a disappointment, as it wavers from Abe Vigoda's perfected lo-fi no-wave post-punk sound. Overall, the latter heralded the EP a great success, as it wavers from Abe Vigoda's perfected lo-fi no-wave post-punk sound. Seeing as I am generally less inclined to agree with reviewers (especially those of the Pitchfork assortment) I awaited the release of Reviver with a heavy heart, fearful of the mainstream-approved music that was sure to come.
The EP certainly does sidestep Abe Vigoda's "classic" sound. In a move that critics label as "maturing," the EP certainly is less lo-fi than past releases. The vocals are quite a bit more audible and the production is obviously more detailed. I do not believe this to be a sign of maturity, rather popularity. Over the past six months, Abe Vigoda has garnered more media attention, toured frequently, and subsequently sold more albums. Thus, the band has more money at their disposal, some of which, I can only assume, has been spent on recording this EP. Moreover, as the band gets bigger and plays larger venues with better quality soundsystems (Circa, anyone?), the old lo-fi songs will not translate as well. For example, the last time I saw No Age was at Lee's Palace, a cavernous (though still relatively small) venue. Their music did not translate as well in the Lee's environment as it did at Horseshoe Tavern last summer, a cramped venue with a low stage and awful sound. By no means do I suggest that a band should alter its sound to meet the accompanying consequences of its level of popularity, but if No Age plans to play larger venues they may wish to clean up their sound a bit simply to translate better live. Abe Vigoda will not suffer from this problem if they continue on the track Reviver has set.
