Love As Laughter "Laughter's Fifth" (Sub Pop)
By Dave Schutz
Monday. Aug 08, 12:03 AM
Let not the ascots and obscure cover from Nuggets, Vol. 9 fool you: this is Olympia, not San Francisco.

Laughter’s Fifth marks Love As Laughter’s return to the basement on the (distant) heels of the slicked up neo-garage of Sea to Shining Sea (2001) and Destination 2000 (1999). Recorded at the home of a friend (Ben Vehorn), the result is so warm and stuffy that it makes those previous efforts sound like bandleader Sam Jayne was tracking with Steve Albini’s guitar rig. The content follows suit: Jayne’s songs are simpler and homier this time around. And even though the ‘60s-era psychedelic cover art gives a clue to the band’s underlying tendencies, they really draw from a much larger pool, from Neil Young (“In Amber) to Can (“Pulsar Radio”).

“Every Midnight Song” really hits, adopting a Stooges-meets-Sonic Youth feel as the song picks up steam. “Canal Street” jams giddily on the commercial virtues of the title thoroughfare. Almost every song on the album is worthy of comment (even if it’s a rolling of the eyes in response to the Alcatraz/pizzazz rhyme on “Survivors”). Jayne’s versatility as a songwriter is reminiscent of Steven Malkmus: even when branching out, he retains his voice. Great album.
www.loveaslaughter.net
www.subpop.com

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Dave Schutz

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