March 04, 2004

Various Artists "Soundtracks for Kisses, Trips, and Fits"

Ahhhh....the label sampler! I really am fond of Future Appletree, the brand-new, in-the-middle-of-nowhere indie pop label, because they've got this charm about them. I learned about this little label from the overwhelming enthusiasm of mundane sounds big-sister pop website excellentonline.com--hi Liz! Their hype was right, and if you're curious about them, this little record is a great place to start. Soundtrack For Kisses, Trips and Fits is a pretty straighforward label sampler, with a few additional goodies on it for those who probably have all of these records. The Marlboro Chorus--currently the label's biggest act--offer two less pop, more indie-rock numbers, "Empire!" and "Hell Is Where the Heart Is." But Soundtracks for Kisses, Trips and Fits shows that there's more to this little label than The Marlboro Chorus, and what goodness there is to be had! From the new-wave pop of Tenki to the unpredictable moments of Driver of the Year (who shuffle between the mellow rock of "Only Human" to the hard-ass rock of "Root Rats"), there's plenty to hear here. Chrash offer up some pretty good indie-rock, Seth Knappen's mellowed pop-rock is nice and Roman Castles' instrumental ramblings are lovely. All in all, a great little sampler, a rather diverse little record, and a sign that these kids in the middle of nowhere (Davenport, Iowa) have got something good going on...

--Joseph Kyle

Label Website: http://www.futureappletree.com

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