This is a very good album. It is well-crafted indie rock with pop and even some hard elements occasionally thrown in the mix. (The band's website even claims Black Sabbath as a musical influence. That may be a stretch, but you can certainly hear a harder edge in the song "ears to hear.") The closest thing I would compare standbye's sound to might be Pep Squad, especially in the vocals. The lead singer (I would give her credit, but neither the album liner notes nor the website gives the names of band personnel) has a voice similar to that of Kim from Pep Squad.
The guitars are very solid and provide not just a background for vocals, but also the driving beat of the album. In many ways, the drums seem to be giving only a little extra punch to what the guitars are doing rhythmically, but it works well.
Another outstanding feature of this album is the textured layers of sound that are present in many of the songs. In particular "ambient," "well wishing," and "brevity" (my favorite song on the album) have a level of complexity that makes for many good listens without growing bored.
The lyrics are fairly catchy and are more pop-oriented than your typical indie rock. (These guys aren't cryptic enough to match the indie rock model.) And while they aren't breathtakingly outstanding, the lyrics are pretty straightforward and Christ-centered. "Vanitos" is one of the more notable examples in its expression of a person's cry to the Lord for direction.
The only criticism I would levy against standbye is the need for more variety in vocal delivery. Also, the liner notes would be much improved upon by adding the names of the band members and the instruments they play. However, they do contain the lyrics, which is a welcome inclusion.
Overall, I'll be looking forward to future releases from this band.
4/5
Other coverage for this album
Bandoppler 1999Reviewed by Earl CampbellThe Ambient intro on Standbye's Days Spent Waiting starts out with a wonderful progression of levels and layers, and then bleeds into fading feedback that outstays its welcome. That's ok, skip buttons were invented for a reason, and the soon to be ensuing midwest indie-rock with a snotty girl pop twist quickly erases all irritated ear drum remembrance. Songs like Brevity, Debbie, and Vanitos are…
