Seems to me that the husband and wife tandem is really becoming increasingly commonplace in the world of pop music the last few years. Few of these acts, however, have both the charm and talent to really make it work in a musical capacity. Refreshing, then, when a band like the Rosebuds can bring so much to the proverbial table.
Dark and disconcerting, with shimmering rays of hope sprinkled throughout, Birds Make Good Neighbors is a testament as to how to make this sort of arrangement musically cohesive and enthralling at the very same time. The pair in question is Kelly Crisp and Ivan Howard, who share both vocal and keyboard duties, the former also piano and Wurlitzer, the latter guitar. The arrangement is a sound one, fleshed out by Lee Waters on drums and Wes Phillips on stand-up bass, but with Crisp and Howard being the basis, the songwriters that fuel the record.
The charm of the Rosebuds is in the way that they work together, in the beautiful simplicity of the songs that they craft. The `60s pop influence is more than apparent, but the dark overtones are what sets them apart from a lot of the bands who can claim that very same influence. The vocals, the guitar tones, the use of upright bass all casts a shadow on the music that envelops it with a terrific sense of mystery. Even during the first three songs, all of which are rather up-tempo, Ivan Howard's morose vocal delivery adds some real gravity to the tales of love and regret, all of which are presented in great storytelling fashion that leaves it open for some vivid imagery.
It's the slower tracks, though, like the piano-driven "Wildcat" that carry the most weight. Every delicately sung word helps paint the gorgeous portrait the story is telling, and the subtle beat on the snare really rounds out the sound. Short-lived is the slow tempo, however, as "The Lovers' Rights" comes right back with some poppy rhythms and beautiful guitar melodies. No matter the darkness of the subject matter, the Rosebuds have the uncanny ability to see the bright sun through the darkest of overcast days. The vibrant handclap fest that is "Shake Our Tree" is the one song in which Crisp really comes to the helm of the vocals, and her interplay with Howard is impressive at very least. There's more variety on the second half of the record, culminating with "4 Track Love Song," where the difference between the dark vocals and optimistic lyrics comes to a head. The song is pulled off in a brilliant manner though, with some extremely slow, soulful chord progressions weaving their way in and out of the song.
Simplicity reigns on this effort, but the amount of emotion brought out through such simple means is impressive enough to let these guys stay on the throne.