Album Review: San Cisco - San Cisco

16 November 2012 | 10:26 am | Cate Summers

That happy-go-lucky enthusiasm hasn’t been developed within this album and unfortunately that energy and sweetness is really what it needs.

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San Cisco forged a name for themselves last year with their catchy sing-song track Awkward, a witty, cute and simple indie-pop song which showcased definite promise in the young band. Back this month with their self-titled album, the lines between simple and boring have been blurred and the band have delivered a rather lacklustre debut.

There isn't anything overtly bad about this album; it's just that there's nothing particularly exciting about it either. In tracks like Fred Astaire, lyrics that are quite charming on their own sound jarring and rough when put to music. Jordi Davieson's distinctive voice fails at times to deliver the right emotional response and Scarlett Stevens' vocals aren't utilised nearly enough, creating a repetitiveness early in the album that sticks until the end.

There are some highlights on San Cisco – opener Beach embodies that playfulness present on their first EP and their single Wild Things' refreshing, attractive melody echoes the talent and promise of this band. However, the tracks are noticeably weaker than Awkward or Rocket Ship, and fail to completely lift the monotony of the album.

For a band that delivers great live shows, the key problem on this album is the translation from live performance to recorded track. The energy and fervor present in San Cisco's shows often makes up for the sometimes repetitive, naïve musicianship of such a young band. That happy-go-lucky enthusiasm hasn't been developed within this album and unfortunately that energy and sweetness is really what it needs.

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