the pathetic caverns - music by artist - French Kicks

My predominant impression of Two Thousand is space. The considerable reverb on the recording evokes a physical space in which the music unfolds. It sounds to me like a large room with solid walls. The arrangements tend to be sparse. The guitar parts are constructed mostly of single-note runs or chords that fade out before the next is struck. Nick Stumpf's drumming is lively but never busy, marked by brief, tasteful fills. No single instrument -- not even the vocals -- carries the main thread of the song. The hooks aren't in catchy choruses; they're in the surprising way the songs fit together. My favorite track is "Keep It Amazed," which quotes Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing" to intriguing effect, but throughout Two Thousand French Kicks demonstrate that indie rock doesn't need to rely on volume or freneticism to generate interest.

This review originally appeared at Avoid Peril.