REVIEW

CD Review: The Bleedin Bleedins - Life Without Computers

Written by greg van dyke
Published May 04, 2006

I don't know about you, but I seem to have quite a bit of free time on my hands. Couple that fact with being a music junkie to the highest degree, I find myself browsing Myspace for what seems to be hours on end. The number of musicians with "spaces" on Myspace is absolutely mind numbing. Are there that many clubs or basements in the world to fill this staggering amount of musicians with? It's a question for the ages. For those who ponder these types of questions, like myself, it's like trying to figure out where the universe ends. It truly is akin a never-ending math equation.

To be realistic, for every one thousand bands, one of them might make a livable wage. I know, I know, it's not about that all mighty dollar; it's about the art, the passion to create, etc. I think anyone would be lying if they said that they didn't want to make at least something off their craft, and making out with someone at the local Denny's after the gig doesn't count.

There are bands that should be huge, see Centro-matic, and then there are bands that sound huge. Boston's The Bleedin Bleedins satisfies both categories. Their self-released debut, Life Without Computers, is a tour de force of summertime driving-with-the-top-down-singing-at-the-top-your-lungs ditties. (Wow! That was a mouthful.) Think early U2 anthems combined with The Killers' rock 'n' hip shake and you have The Bleedin Bleedins. As far as sounding huge, they put out a racket that seems much bigger than their 3-piece status would lead the listener to believe.

Usually, it's been my experience that records such as this contain 86% filler. While there may be a couple of memorable "singles", the rest of the album seems much like an afterthought, made strictly to get the chicks and to get some radio play. That's one of the reasons I typically stay away from disposable type records. Luckily, Life Without Computers is a record with nary an ounce of filler.

Filler or no, Life Without Computers does suffer in some areas. A bit of sameness runs throughout the record. It's sometimes difficult to distinguish between tracks. There is not much difference in tone or pacing, and lead Bleedin, Mike Coen, seems to play it safe and doesn't stretch his vocal range too often. When he does though, he has a nice set of pipes. Hopefully with each successive record, they will grow their sound in the range of instruments used. MP3s and up to date information on the band can be found on their Myspace profile.

Will Life Without Computers be 2006's feel good record of the summer or linger in some state of perpetual obscurity? It would be a shame if the latter occurs, because there are much worse ways, or records, you could devote 40 minutes of your life to. All I know is that The Bleedin Bleedins have made a strong case for not ending up making out with chicks in their local Denny's any time soon.

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CD Review: The Bleedin Bleedins - Life Without Computers
Published: May 04, 2006
Type: Review
Section: Music
Filed Under: Music: Adult Alternative, Music: Rock, Review
Writer: greg van dyke
greg van dyke's BC Writer page
greg van dyke's personal site
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