Annuals’ latest is too varied, but still such fun

‘ ‘ ‘ After playing Such Fun way too much, I’ve come to this conclusion: This album sounds like… ‘ ‘ ‘ After playing Such Fun way too much, I’ve come to this conclusion: This album sounds like Annuals, but Annuals in a variety show. ‘ ‘ ‘ It’s Annuals doing the music genres, with each track putting a spin on the norm. There’s the rock-style ‘Talking’ to spice things up. There’s the country tunes ‘Down The Mountain’ and ‘Always Do,’ complete with fiddles and twangy guitars making ‘waa-waa’ sounds. There’s the slowed down, mellow piano and strings of ‘Springtime’ and ‘The Tape.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ What links these genre-bending tracks together is a screaming vocal here, a distinctly Annuals building drumbeat there. Maybe some ambient sounds thrown in at the beginning of a song or a subtle, layered harmony. ‘ ‘ ‘ We’re missing those dialed-down, echo-style vocals that allow you to really appreciate key changes and amplified breaks. We’re missing that free-spirited, experimental quality of the sound. And it’s OK, not great. ‘ ‘ ‘ The old Annuals style can be found in ‘Hardwood Floor,’ which revisits songs like ‘Father’ and ‘Ida, My’ from the band’s first album. The acoustic guitar comes through vocals and slowly builds into an orchestral sound. Strings and key notes blend with a rhythmic, clicking percussion until the song fades into a lazy, almost formless chorus. The chorus creeps up on you, a welcome surprise amidst the layered sounds. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Springtime’ brings in the piano-heavy feel to the album and combines it with that classic building drum beat. The screaming vocals make an appearance to contrast the choral-style backing vocals that bring the song to a close. ‘ ‘ ‘ The band members take their chances with a few country-themed tracks like ‘Down The Mountain,’ where fiddles meet a mainstream power chorus in an odd composition that brings to mind chickens on the farm and electric guitars. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘Always Do’ takes the twangy country style to new heights, adding in an Annuals style string element. It’s the country waa-waa of the electric instruments that make the echoing vocals seem out of place. But who can argue with these guys? ‘ ‘ ‘ This band will do whatever it wants. As these country tracks fade out, you’re launched right into an alt-rock song with ‘Talking.’ That means electric guitar and a chorus that could have come from My Chemical Romance. What gives this track an Annuals twist is the classic, screaming vocals and an unexpected horn accompaniment. ‘ ‘ ‘ Such Fun sounds like other bands out there, but it’s not what you want to hear from Annuals. It’s the difference between Pablo Honey Radiohead and OK Computer Radiohead. Both albums meet the standards for being listen-worthy, sure. But when you think of Radiohead, do you think of a rock album, or do you think of that experimental rock with robot voices and haunting vocals? ‘ ‘ ‘ Annuals has moved to a new sound, which is not a bad sound. While it’s not bad, it also isn’t nearly as interesting as it should be. Maybe that’s just setting standards too high, but it’s Annuals. We know what this band can do, so why not? When you’ve got a good thing going with a unique sound, stick with it. ‘ ‘ ‘ There’s a glimmer of the Be He Me Annuals in there, but mostly, the Annuals of old has left the building. Now, it’s a little bit country, a little bit rock ‘n’ roll and a whole lot of new.