Paper Route

July 9, 2009

After reading Taylor’s favorites of 2009 so far, I initially felt this entry might seem half-starved… but, I suppose to my own advantage, I can write about a band that wasn’t featured: Paper Route. My love for William Fitzsimmons gently led me to this four-piece band. Paper Route’s glitchy-intellect clearly inspired William’s shy undertaking of programmed-beats and lengthened interludes (think “Please Don’t Go,” “It’s Not True,” and “Afterall”).

However, the electronic front of their sound that I admire so much was only subtly revealed on their self-titled EP back in 2006, which had a general feel of at-home-folk. With a bit of piano here and some acoustic there, in my opinion, the four first tracks served their purpose… and just as I was about to pass to them off, “Cityscape” and “Let You Down” worked as a perfect preamble of what they were about to contribute to the world of synth-rock. I was hooked… and believe me when I say that I’ve listened to that EP repeatedly for three years, anticipating the release of their full-length, Absence.

What I love most about this album is the band’s ability to create “whole” songs. The beginning, middle, and end of each track is marked so well that instead of wanting more, I find myself satisfied in a sense that my appetite’s changed completely. This could be better described as favoritism. “Gutter” and “Enemy Among Us” has drawn them comparisons to Air while “Lover’s Anthem” and “Tiger Teeth” bring us back to their roots of rock and soulful wailing of simply intimate lyrics… yet, when all is said and played, “Last Time” and “Dance on Our Graves” are, without question, the must-hear tracks on this album. They’re both so beautifully made and irrevocably different… characteristics that I feel best describe Paper Route.

MP3 Last Time
MP3 Dance on our Graves

Posted by Cheryse in Album Review, Artist Spotlight