Said The Whale — Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia

I generally consider comparison reviews a bit of a cop-out, but after listening to Said The Whale's debut full-length, I can't help thinking that their CD collection is composed of nothing but Decemberists and Shins albums. It's impossible to listen to Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia without noticing the similarities. "Live Off The Lamb" could have easily slipped on to the last Shins effort and no one would have noticed that it wasn't James Mercer singing, while "Curse Of The Currents" bears a striking resemblance to everything The Decemberists have ever done. But comparisons aside, Said The Whale make good music. Their pop sensibility meshes nicely with brooding nautical tales, incorporating the best traits of both their muses. Yet songs like "This City's A Mess," "Howe Sounds" and "My Government Heart" hint that the Vancouver five-piece are fully capable of producing a unique sound. Hopefully we'll get to hear more of them and less of their record collection the next time around.