Back from a long Memorial Day weekend in Cincinnati and its fitting to talk about an album with Old Glory on the cover. I spent the long flight to Ohio listening to Akron/Family’s latest release Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free. Some indie bands classify themselves as “Experimental.” Usually that classification is synonymous with “Crap.” Akron/Family experiments with arrangements, instrumentation and tempo changes, but without completely abandoning fans with more mainstream sensibilities. And they certainly are not crappy.
Jazz and funk influences are infused in the album’s opening track, “Everyone Is Guilty,” with various tempo changes and vocal styles that range from shout-singing over crazy percussion and bass lines to more subtle harmonizing over orchestral strings. Trying to keep up as a listener can be exhausting and if you try to dance to this song, you’ll end up looking like Patrick Dempsey in Can’t Buy Me Love doing some sort of African tribe dance ritual.
The next song, “River,” is an accessible, feel good Island song that will appeal to fans of Vampire Weekend. “Creature” follows up with a Beck-like hip-hop vibe and experimental percussion before the acoustic song, “The Alps and Their Orange Evergeen,” brings the album back to Earth. And that’s the start of what’s in store with Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free.
Sometimes I hear a blend of Blitzen Trapper and The Dodos and at other times, I hear things I’ve never heard before. That’s why I continued to be drawn to the album. Akron/Family will launch into the stratosphere and take some risks. Some songs sink in after several listens while others may never digest. Other tracks you’ll fall in love with. Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free will challenge you. It’ll keep you on your toes. If you spend enough time with it, you’ll be rewarded as the album continues to reveal itself in new ways.
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Video: Akron/Family – Set ‘Em Free
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