Homelife

Album Review

Taking an experimental approach to pop along the lines of Ween and blending it with the neo-psychedelic style of Soft Bulletin-era Flaming Lips, Your Team Ring develops a mildly familiar but ultimately satisfying sound on Homelife. The pained singing and sparse arrangements are offset by the use of unusual instruments and bizarre vocal effects, developing a tense and hypnotic mood that rarely lets up. This tension may turn off someone just looking for an sweet-yet-idiosyncratic pop album, but that's all this is, just minus the sweetness. But there are some clever ideas floating around this album, as the music shifts from shuffling folk rock to 20's style jazz pop without ever changing enough to separate the band from their own unique sound. Fans of these types of bands should definitely hunt this down, there are some great moments and a few really memorable songs, and there is a pleasant lack of filler that also sets this apart from many of their contemporaries.