Abandoned Love [CDEP, 2006]

Stop. I'm confused—not that this particular state strays far from my normal mindframe—but seriously, I'm confused! The cover of Songs From The Abattoir by Grumpy Bear, a mere slip case for a CD, mocks the relics of three decades gone, maybe four. The disc itself mocks the vinyl I hold so dear. Maybe mock is not the right word. Maybe mimic is. Either way, a look beyond the mere surface is required to determine correct verbage for this paragraph...

"Luis Bunuel" could be a medley it alters tempo and time so frequently. The slow beginning begins with organs and guitars and a vocal part that is oh so reminiscent of one of those damn catchy Postal Service tracks we all listened to three years ago. The quick part is a full-on late '60s sing-along with rapid tambourine. The second track, "A Conspiracy of Cartographers," blends sounds popular in the early '80s and deep vocals with hints of sarcasm—quite like early They Might Be Giants. The music relies on electronics: electronic percussion, keyboards, etc.

"O'Sullivan Reacts to a Heartache [Repentantly]" begins with a beautiful instrumental part; only a lightly plucked guitar and a trumpet. The vocals that enter post trumpet solo are sweet and softly pleasant. A pinnacle of Songs From The Abattoir is easily "Our Own Ocean." From the catchy phrases to the folk guitar rhythms, the song is nothing but stunning—even adding a distorted rock solo toward the end. Still, calling it a pinnacle may defeat the purpose of the album, as each song hits on such distinctly different influences, it is difficult to pinpoint which song supersedes the others in glory.

The introduction of "Fritz Lang" reminded me immediately of Pink Floyd's "Money." Though, instead of cash registers, the sound could be a typewriter—or an electronic cricket. This sound proceeds throughout the song with controlled noises and sampling. "Fritz Lang" finds a middle point between a near calm and a ferocious tension. "Growing Stronger Everyday" is another catchy folk tune with happily strummed guitars, a hand-slapped tambourine, banjos, and joyful vocals. It follows the pattern of "Our Own Ocean" and "Luis Bunuel" in influences.

Overall, Songs From The Abattoir is more a compilation of disjointed units. While some fit together ("Growing Stronger Everyday" and "Our Own Ocean"), others are so different it's almost astonishing that the same band wrote and released them consecutively on the same EP ("A Conspiracy of Cartographers" and "O'Sullivan Reacts to a Heartache").

So, how can the mock versus mimic question be answered? Surely, there is little mockery in Songs From The Abattoir, but, then, the mimicked aspects are masked with the unique sound Grumpy Bear produces—a lo-fi folk sound that is as comforting as it is creative.

Check Grumpy Bear out on MySpace. Read the FensePost review of The Wandering Bark EP, a split between Grumpy Bear and Boo Hiss.