CD Review: The Safe Distance "Do More Songs" (Emotional Response)

[http://jenandstew.com/item/-A4-The-Safe-Distance-Do-More-Songs/239/c11]

I remember my review of The Safe Distance EP earlier this year all too well and though the record itself is a collection of four songs there were a total on ten on the download.     In some ways, that would make this the second full length I'm hearing by The Safe Distance based upon song count and sort of length, but I'm not sure that even matters because as the title tells you this is more songs and that's all that you really need to know about it.

As I glanced back at my previous review- and listened to that download again as well- I couldn't help but notice how my comparisons and ideas from those songs have compared with this album, "Do More Songs".    While the idea that this is twee still resonates with me the feel otherwise is something different than their "EP".   Upbeat, twangy songs with banging on the drums can be inspired by punk, garage, psych and even surf at times depending upon the song and of course even a specific portion of the song.    Those Gadjits type organ-keys which can even be heard in The Doors come out as well, though this is still quite different from them overall.

When you get to the fifth song, "Catapult" there is this slow, walking around in the old west type of feel to it that does carry on through some of the later songs as well.    My favorite way to describe this though is as a cross between The B-52s and Violent Femmes, which might sound a bit more whiny inside your head because both vocalists there seem to have those type of vocals but this is not nearly as whiny in the vocals and I am especially thankful for that.

The linear notes tell me who played on this, it's somehow related to other bands and it most curiously says "in this instance the band is", meaning that the contributors could have changed since the "EP" but it doesn't matter because these are good songs that I think of as being part of that lineup when Johnny Cash was on tour with Buddy Holly and all them in the movie "Walk the Line".    A few covers as well for those who know their musical roots, though since they've covered The Human League I now selfishly want to hear them do "Don't You Want Me Baby" as well.   Yes, I am a sucker for The Human League and an entire album dedicated to them on Emotional Response would not be a bad idea.