ArtsEtc.

AM Syndicate’s waves of propaganda

AM Syndicate's latest album, Liberation, has a sound typical of a band from a small record label; it has an interesting vibe that's appealing, but monotonous. Hailing from Austin, Texas, the indie-pop troupe names Blonde Redhead and Neutral Milk Hotel as two of its inspirations, a fact which becomes painfully obvious through a listen of its new collection.

At times, AM Syndicate's attempt at a social reform message comes across as forced. In the album’s first cut, “Hang Your Fears at the Door and Join your Future,” vocalist Omar Chavez sings stern lyrics to a singsong melody, a contrast that makes it difficult to appreciate the meaning of the words such as “We the people must fight them."

Lyrics aside, Liberation is more than adequate musically. To start, AM Syndicate makes use of a plethora of sounds and instruments. “All the People Under the Sun” begins with a simple organ melody quickly joined by drums, electronic tones and vocals. It is an upbeat song meant for dancing.

The vocal arrangements in Liberation are unadorned melodies with no distinct harmonies. In the album's second cut, "The Plunderer and the Fool (Tool Box)," Chavez's voice acts more like another instrument in the ensemble than the driving force of the song and recognizing that element of AM Syndicate's style makes Liberation easier to listen to.

The climax of the album is the lively percussion and acoustic guitar riffs of "To the Peasant's of the Emperor," in which the band combines the sounds of atypical instruments to create a distinctive, catchy melody.

The first lyrics of "Doubt in Progress…" are puzzling, as Chavez awkwardly sings, "I'm so tired of hearing all your propaganda." The song begins repetitively with a simple guitar accompanying the strange lyrics. But two minutes later the song emerges with an engaging bridge that aptly ends with a return of the subdued guitar and vocals.

The album falls apart in the last two tracks, which are repetitious both lyrically and musically, dragging on much longer than necessary. The vocals in both tracks are haunting, and the beats of each are virtually indistinguishable. Additionally, "No Flakes" and "Cauliflower Ear" are the two longest songs of the album, and with their nearly identical vocals and percussion, they make for a 12-minute headache.

Liberation is full of what seems to be AM Syndicate’s good intentions, but unfortunately these do not fully materialize. Though the band makes use of a clever range of instrumental pieces, it fails to compensate for its uninteresting cuts.

2 stars out of 5