The Parties – Can’t Come Down

The Parties – Can’t Come Down

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

Sometimes a band will be out of step with the music of their era. Their sound could be completely new, or it could be a throwback to long lost times. In the case of The Parties, it is definitely the latter.

The San Francisco quartet came up in the mid-2000s but sounded exactly like something that came out of the mid-60s. Led by Jeremy Powers and Sarah Mehlfield, they had a fine interplay. Their guitars jangled and chimed, and the production on their albums was raw and energetic. They also wove their voices in perfect harmony.

In 2008, The Parties released their debut album Can’t Come Down. It must have sounded fresh and nostalgic in an ever-changing musical landscape. But how does it hold up today?

“Damned By The Sunshine” jangles like Teenage Fanclub and Tom Petty with great harmonies between the four members. The sweetness of the melody combined with the agony of the lyrics makes for a nice contrast. It’s a delicious pop rock song in a style rarely heard outside of Britain in the 60s.

“Yours and Mine” has a gentle psychedelic pop feel. The Rickenbackers are out front, and Powers and Mehlfield harmonize nicely. “Waterfall” – unrelated to The Stone Roses song – features four-part harmonies and has slight surf rock vibe. The solo has a nice delay on it, and the guitars are panned left to right, which is a nice touch.

But perhaps “Gotta Get Out” is the greatest highlight. Jangling 12-string and hammertone guitars form a riff resembling something Echo and The Bunnymen would do in their underrated McCulloch-less Reverberation era. The verses have sweet harmonies between Powers and Mehlfield.

Albums can be grandiose in sound, but they don’t always have to be. Sometimes simple production and sweet songcraft is enough. Can’t Come Down is a deliberately minor release. But the light satisfaction of The Parties is where their unassuming beauty lies.

Rainbow Quartz International/2008