Posted on: September 2, 2009 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

The Eames Era plays a catchy brand of pop-infused rock that is catchy as all get out starting with “Little Brother” . The track shows The Eames Era as an act that is most comfortable in this earlier genre, while the band still makes the songs salient for the current audience. The band is able to craft shorter songs that make big impressions on anyone listening in. There may not be bleeding-edge solos present during songs like “Both Hands Full” and “1968”, but the band is able to insert themselves easily into the minds and hearts of anyone that has picked up the disc. While most bands are unable to go beyond the twelve or thirteen track mark, The Eames Era are able to vary things up enough through seventeen distinct tracks.

This puts the disc’s runtime up to a more than respectable forty-two minutes, and increases the replay value of the band’s release here. One of the disc’s most memorable tracks has to be “Fake Do-gooders”, which beyond having catchy choruses brings some more intense instrumentation to the mix. This is what keeps the band interesting, and why the nearly twenty tracks of “Heroes + Sheroes” bring a smile to practically anyone that may be listening in to the disc. However strong “Fake Do-gooders” was as a track, “Benjamin” easily tops the aforementioned track. The Eames Era do their best to craft melodies that will resound around listeners’ heads for a while after the disc ceases to spin.

The Eames Era have evolved considerably since their “Double Dutch” days, and it should be a matter of time before they can encroach on Dresden Dolls territory. The use of different vocal pacing and a set of vocals during “Last To Know” keeps the disc fresh and shows that The Eames Era can change things up in the middle of the disc. The only thing that I could suggest that The Eames Era do is to come up with a track that could break it big for them. I dropped the Dresden Dolls’ name earlier; if The Eames Era can create their own version of “Coin-Operated Boy”, the chances converge to one that the band would be able to gain hundreds, if not thousands, of new fans in just a short while. I know that I will be keeping an eye on The Eames Era for the next few years, just to see where they will go after what is a very strong effort in “Heroes + Sheroes”.

Top Tracks: Benjamin, Let Me Spin

Rating: 6.6/10

The Eames Era – Heroes + Sheroes / 2006 MDF / 16 Tracks / http://www.theeamesera.com / Reviewed 26 May 2007

[JMcQ]

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