Annuals – ‘Be He Me’ (Virgin) Released 18/06/07

With two EP’s to their credit, June see’s the UK release of ‘Be He Me’, the debut album from North Carolina’s Annuals. With a penchant for switching instruments, whether playing live or whilst recording, Annuals are as much a musical cooperative as they are a band. Embracing a warm and eclectic approach to music making, from electronic fuzzy pop to alt folk rock, Annuals’ musical style is all at once expansive, experimental and immediately enthralling. Opening with ‘Brother’, initially relaxing and laid back, the peaceful acoustic guitar and string arrangement gives way to a sudden release of energy, a full on electric assault that provides a huge contrast to the tracks humble beginnings. Not only that but it’s difficult to know what to expect from the remainder of the album.

In fact ‘Be He Me’ is an album full of contrasts and one that follows its own intense and varied course paying no attention to predictable structure and formula. Track two, ‘Dry Clothes’ and ‘Chase You Off’ both contain a considered self-restraint that, subtly or otherwise, manages to bring a harder edge to their carefully constructed sleepy dreamscapes, creating a means to travel on this most concentrated and enchanting of musical journeys. Not a band to rest on their laurels, Annuals’ sound envelops the listener, with intricate and layered piano, percussion and drums (most notably on ‘Carry Around’ and ‘Bleary Eyed’) that compliment the improvised jam like guitar techniques and sounds (‘The Bull And The Goat’) to within an inch of perfection.

Front man Adam Baker’s vocal skills also go a long way in contributing to and developing the collective’s distinct and hypnotic qualities. At times almost whispered, seemingly detached and certainly in some way distorted through the production process you can find yourself physically straining to hear exactly what the lyrics are. As individual tracks, this factor definitely adds to the stylistic elements that make up Annuals’ work, but as a collection of fifteen songs, it can also prove to be annoying (especially by the time you reach track twelve ‘Sway’) although by no means is it the albums downfall. Far from it in fact, as from the start, ‘Be He Me’ isolates itself from other lacklustre attempts at inventive song-writing with a complex yet apparently natural and effortless ease; and is testament to the bands kaleidoscopic vision, that they can both sustain and constantly develop interest over such a vast track-listing (three more in fact than the US release).