Clearing the decks, part one

Most of the songs on Stutter’s self-titled debut album share a frustrating quality of starting out with sonic waves of color bursting forth that the group is then unable to ride to a consistent finish.

Of those, “Brand New Start” (especially in an album-closing remix) and “Twenty-One” are the best-dressed kids at the ball. Even if the lyric to the latter does sound like premature nostalgia from a band in their mid-20s…but “premature nostalgia” isn’t a bad bag to put them in anyway.

Given their ages, by rights Stutter should be nostalgic for 1999. And I don’t mean the Prince album. But instead, many of their songs wouldn't sound out of place on one of Rhino Records' Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the ‘80s volumes.

I rate that era higher than almost anybody, but if I want to revisit it I'll slip on one of those discs, thank you very much. I've said this before: It is not enough to be pastiche snapshots of other songs and bands; that way lays Katrina and the Waves (not such an inapt comparison, as it turns out)

It is just possible that people who were only five when most of the bands influences were in current release will like them more than I do. As for me, it leaves me with a feeling I believe is recognizable to most in their ‘30s, a certain affectionate perspective best illustrated by the pin-on phrase…

“I like you. You remind me of me when I was young and stupid.”

I’m not quite sure why this should be, but Devo’s “Girl U Want” (1980) seems to be one of the most-covered of that venerable groups singles. Trouble is…well, it may be worth remembering that when Devo covered a song, like say “Satisfaction,” they did something to it. Stutter’s stab at “Girl” is distinguishable from the original mainly by changing a personal pronoun (“I’m just the girl…”) or two. You never escape the feeling that you’re listening to boys and girls playing dress-up rather than telling their own stories or developing a songwriting voice.

I can see (said the old fogy, bending over backwards to be fair) how the group might be great fun to go and see. The people are attractive and the songs do indeed sound great, especially on the tracks co-produced by the band and Alex Greggs. Greggs' name is new to me, but a quick trip to Google reveals that his dance card has previously included groups like N’Sync, Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Brandy and Du-

Wait a minute.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve made a terrible mistake. I’ve been reviewing what (the light slowly dawns) is clearly a bubblegum album as though it were supposed to be Peter Gabriel or Johnny Cash, Joe Jackson or something.

I owe you (and Stutter) an apology. Seen in this new light, the albums’ sometimes blah song construction and banal lyrics are nearly offset by its frothy energy. There’s always a place for warm-blooded performances of songs about lust; to deepen them would be to miss the point.

Whether or not Stutter has promise (they do) is almost beside the point. At this point, from my perspective, it’s like watching people finger-paint in primary colors.

A few words of explaination: The above was written for Ink19. As I do not anticipate writing anything more for that online magazine for reasons of no interest, I have withdrawn it, and decided to post it here.

The link in the band name is to their MySpace page.