The Positions – Bliss! / 2005 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.the-positions.com / Reviewed 12 November 2006
“Bliss!” begins with a style of music that would be much more fitting in the easy listening early seventies. The present of horns and ample bass with a cute voice during “Someday” firmly ensconces The Positions into this brand of music. The first track is something that is very sedate, but has a very active tempo to it that is obscured by the dreamy vocals that take such a focal point on this track. “Someday” also has a very Rush-like bass line that is unfortunately too short and too quiet to hear much of, but to show listeners that the band has that sort of ability is something that one cannot fault The Positions for. The classic pop sound of The Positions continue during “Back to Me”.
The allure of The Positions is not that they are playing a retro style of music, but rather that the music that they play is so catchy and honest, without all of the trumped up production or disaffected arrogance that fuel many other acts. While many of the arrangements on “Bliss!” may not seem to be the most difficult or challenging for the band, the technical ability of The Positions hides the difficulty present in some of their modifications to the general idea of time signatures on tracks like “Flowers and Trees”. The band can even throw in their love for ska with a track like the title track, a rousing track that moves between slower tempo and glorious, quicker sound.
The simple drum beat during the track gives listeners something tangible to grab onto, and pushes The Positions even further into the stratosphere. The band is able to create an album that has a tremendous amount of cohesion while not getting individuals the slightest bit tired, even considering the fact that this album almost hits the forty minute mark. The inclusion of horns as a major instrument instead of as an ancillary addition to a track is an interesting move for a band. Outside of salsa and jazz acts, I cannot think of many acts that honestly attempt such a bold move. The best track on the disc is “Things You Never Said”, and this track continues the same trend of sixties-influenced pop that still has some relevancy in this current market. Give this disc a spin if you can find it at any local record shop; it is a tour de force that simultaneously looks to the past while rocking out the present.
Top Tracks: It’s Okay It’s Alright, Bliss!
Rating: 7.8/10
[JMcQ]