Local Review: Cavedoll – The Harbor

Cavedoll
The Harbor

Psuedorecordings
Street: 01.07
Cavedoll = Interpol + Stellastarr* + Franz Ferdinand + Devo

Cavedoll sound like post-punk part two, not just a piece of this or that band but literally all of the bands were they smashed into three bodies and one album. While this makes for an uneven ride, it does prove Cavedoll competent rather than exposing them as charlatans poised to cash in on a sound that is hip with the kids these days. Vocally there is a touch of Ian Curtis without the dramatic flair but more range than either Interpol or Stellastarr* tend to show. Their pop punch isn’t nearly as strong as The Killers, Franz Ferdinand or as mainstream-absorbable as Snow Patrol, but they do manage to sway between melancholy and upbeat without a snag (the only exception being the regrettably mediocre “For Rhondel,” which fails to capture the beauty or emotional connection suggested by the lyrics). At times, lyrically, the mood sways towards the whimsical in a somewhat silly light-heartedness that approaches Devo or the B-52s’ zaniness but considering the context, it doesn’t come across as awkwardly as Ima Robot tends to be. Good production values to boot-making The Harbor an above-average stroll through the early 80s circa 2007.