Artist: The Employees

Artist: The Employees

Links: https://www.facebook.com/TheEmployees

https://soundcloud.com/theemployees/sets/the-employees

There are concept albums nearly everyone will hate because no one wants to read a manifesto before listening to new music (and, thus, will have no idea what the singer is singing about). And then there's The Employees' Unemployed, a subtle "concept" release that acknowledges the recent/current economic straits while appealing to everyone in the economy, whether thriving or merely surviving.

The early uptempo bounciness of "Oh No," and its effects-laden vocal, recalls Parklife-vintage Blur and even Damon Albarn's zany Gorillaz entries. But with the fuzzed-out Matthew Sweet-style power-pop of "Impersonator," it's hard to pin down The Employees any further than the umbrella categories of alt-rock and indie rock.

As compact as the catchy songs-in-chief are, it's their outtros that induce the thoughts of "this band is special" that build a band's legacy. Thus, on a track like the aforementioned standout, "Oh No," acoustic strumming, sliding guitars, hand-claps and harmony vocals are poppy (and speed the song's movement); but the song is nicely extended through drum fills and a chorus of "oh no!" vocals. Likewise, on "Impersonator," after pop is asserted through lyric-delivery (and perfect vocal phrasing), we get a section of isolated vocals surrounded by expressive guitar-work that has The Employees straddling the divide between pop song-craft and advanced musicianship as the Stone Roses once did. (Active bass-lines throughout the album really help in this regard.)

It's telling then that The Employees also bring us "Winter Round Here." Though it slows the album's tempo, this dark and achingly beautiful melody still possesses all the attributes that have endeared The Employees to us by this, the tenth and final song of the album: lush acoustic guitar, prominent bass, melodic electric guitar, and expert vocal phrasing. When the music falls away, we're left with a lyrical observation, jarring in its truthful simplicity: "that's winter 'round here."

The Employees have everything we need and more -- with song-craft so catchy we must listen, and musicality so expressive we can't stop.

*** The author of this review, Anthony Lewis, plays the bari for the following band: http://youtu.be/tMS73-1kCr8