Attempting to Wrap My Ears Around Green Palm Radiation’s Self-Titled Album OR An Exercise in Over-Complication.

For some reason, I had to go through a week-long process full of let-downs, hiatuses and re-appraisals to finally arrive at a painfully simple conclusion; Green Palm Radiation is essentially an easy, summer pop/rock album with occasional electronic flourishes. So if you’re contented with that and feel no need to hear about the afore mentioned process, then I bid you good day. If you’re looking for a little somethingsomething, looking to glean a little more insight into my silly, uneducated opinions on the album, then read on, dear sir/madame.

In Which I Rid Myself of Pre-Conceived Notions

The first twenty seconds of album opener “With You There” sound so much like Team Boo-era Mates of Statethat I feel like I’m back in 2003. Here is that familiar, almost synthetic-sounding organ swirling out of half-broken speakers. I am pleasantly taken aback. Then Jay Newberry’s voice steps in. Now I’m confused. What happened to the Mates of State sound? Sure, the organ is still kicking around, but the mood is lacking in the Mates’ explosive joy. And Newberry’s mellow voice is lacking a harmonized counterpart. Clearly my Mates of state approach doesn’t fit anymore.

In Which I Use a Different Approach

Then I try to think of the album just as grainy, lo-fi bedroom pop. Straight up. But. Sigh. Green Palm Radiation doesn’t quite belong in this crackle-pop category. Not like early Sloan would, for instance. GPR is much more of a computer recorded sound than a tape recorded sound. I’m starting to lose hope. Maybe I just don’t like this album. But it has so many redeeming qualities that I can’t figure out why I’m having such trouble enjoying it…

In Which I Have An Epiphany

By this point I’ve listened through the album several times. And I have this nagging suspicion that I’m missing something blatantly obvious. That Green Palm Radiation has a comparable sound. It’s in the muffled, faraway quality of Newberry’s near-monotone voice and the warm, nineties-tinged guitar tone. And suddenly, a revelation: Green Palm Radiation is like a compilation of never-heard-before Guided By Voices b-sides. Sweet relief! From here on out it’s smooth sailing. It’s rather pathetic that I couldn’t appreciate the album until I had nailed down a solid comparison, but there you have it. Now I’m able to sink into the lazy, mid-August GPR mindset. And it’s quite nice.

In Which I Sum Things Up in Semi-Metaphorical Terms

How is it that Jay Newberry can weave such a So-Cal sunshine vibe into his music when he’s based out of Guelph? Not that I’ve ever been before. But I mean, really. Guelph? It sounds like the noise you make when you accidentally swallow gum. Anyway. I don’t really have a clear cut way of ending this review, so first I’ll list off my favourite tracks: With You There, Condemnation, The Zipper, Pavement Feels Cool and the grungy departure of Cured By Reason. And I’ll finish things off by painting you a picture of the Green Palm Radiation soundscape. Think light leaks and Wayfarers. Think slow-riding through circa-1960′s suburbia on a bicycle you found by the roadside. Or, think simple: think of Green Palm Radiation as the sound of a pure, unadulterated summer.

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MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/greenpalmrad