No Work Dancing begins with Molina (oh yeah), a slow and steady-paced track that touches upon the pop-rock of the sixties just as much as it does on Weezer and slacker rock. The titular track for No Work Dancing has a more insistent beat, with the drums tattooing a rhythm on listeners’ hearts. With a nod to early Rolling Stones and Monkees, the narrative quality of the instrumentation here establishes Trouble in the Wind as an a continually-compelling act. This leads well into Safe, a track in which Trouble in the Wind learn toward a folk-rock approach.
Taking up equal parts of Johnny Cash, Bright Eyes, and Devendra Banhart, Trouble in the Wind keep listeners bright-eyed and eager. With each subsequent track on No Work Dancing, the band is able to quickly shift into a different set of styles and sounds. It is this Protean ability that pushes No Work Dancing to its peak. Trains is this peak, with a bouncy beat touching briefly on bluegrass and rockabilly. Tying together the instrumental and the vocal sides of the band, Train showcases the fact that one can enjoy No Work Dancing in many ways. Of course, the charisma brought to the title by the band’s lead singer is alluring, but there is considerable musicianship to be had, both in opposition to aforementioned vocals and in support.
Kiss Kiss Kiss is a track that destroys another common conception with albums; placed as the anti-penultimate track on the disc, the band forges boldly through in a dramatic, vocal-lead format. With the right bit of presence, the track itself feels as if it is pulled directly from the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed sessions. There is a vibrancy to No Work Dancing that will stick with listeners long after they have put the CD up. However, I feel that the energy and honestly put forth by the band on this album will only make their live shows that much better. Check them (and No Work Dancing) out today.
Top Tracks: No Work Dancing, Don’t Go Home
Rating: 8.3/10
Trouble in the Wind – No Work Dancing (CD) / 2011 Self / 11 Tracks / http://www.troubleinthewind.com