What Made Milwaukee Famous: Trying To Never Catch Up
Trying To Never Catch Up is a re-release of WMMF's self-released debut, with the addition of four new tracks and some altered cover art. It was well-received locally two years ago, and will likely be well-received nationally today.
Review by Dave Anastasi
What Made Milwaukee Famous has done pretty well for themselves as an unsigned band. They've developed quite a following in their home base of Austin, Texas. They've played PBS's Austin City Limits with Franz Ferdinand. They've been featured on XPN's World Cafe. They've gotten positive press from the likes of Billboard and Rolling Stone. And now, having been picked up by indie label Barsuk Records, they're about to take it to the next level.
Trying To Never Catch Up is a re-release of WMMF's self-released debut, with the addition of four new tracks and some altered cover art. It was well-received locally two years ago, and will likely be well-received nationally today.
Upon first listening to this album, it became clear to me that this was a band that has a ton of talent and potential but hasn't quite locked in on their own identity yet-- not that there's anything wrong with that. Sometimes, that's what debut albums are all about. Comparisons range from The Strokes to The Cars, from Beulah to Death Cab For Cutie, from Spoon to The Wrens. This record plays out like an indie artist sampler, and it doesn't help that four of the songs were written, recorded, mixed and produced at a different time and place as the rest.
Things start tentatively with Idecide, with electronic blips and beats and an arpeggiated synth line that wouldn't be out of place on a Muse album. Things open up midway through the song when the real drums kick in, and the band's confidence begins to shine through. Mercy Me has a lot going for it, with its Death Cab-like guitars and Strokes-like vocals. It's not just that lead singer Michael Kingcaid's voice resembles that of Julian Casablancas, it's also the fact that his voice is produced in a similar style to Julian's on The Strokes' first two albums. The song rolls along with a feel-good groove and the instrumental arrangement does a great job supporting the catchy vocals.
Hellodrama is another stand-out-- the Cars influence presents itself here, particularly in the guitars, synth and drums. And while the lyrics to the chorus come off a bit cliché ("No, Charlena. It's not as simple as it sounds to keep your feet planted on common ground"), it seems to work well with the equally trite musical accompaniment (complete with handclaps!).
The first of the four new tracks is The Jeopardy Of Contentment, as Kingcaid plays the role of the voice of reason in terminating a relationship that's going nowhere. "While your pride is numb, while your face is still young, while our hands are still clean, just wash yourself of me," he pleads. This song does a great job showcasing Kingcaid's fantastic voice. It soars over the heartbreaking lyrics, conveying sorrow, sincerity, and hope at the same time. The moodswings continue for the rest of the album, from the dark title track, to the playful Sweet Lady.
In summary, this is a good album that shows a lot of promise for the future of What Made Milwaukee Famous, whichever direction they might take. I'm sure that their next release will find them continuing to develop their sound. Who knows-- in the future, what made Milwaukee famous might not be Schlitz anymore... it might just be a four-piece band from Austin.