Umbrellas "Illuminare" (The Militia Group)
By Kimberly Rosenbauer
Friday. Aug 18, 1:59 PM
Patient, repeated listens reap rewards.

Nine times out of 10, the first time I listen to a brand new album, I whiz through it: sometimes listening to only the first 30 seconds or so and moving on. Sort of like a screening process. And based on this quick scan, nine times out of 10 I’m right about whether I’ll like the album or not.

Illuminare is that one out of 10 chance that I’m proven wrong.

My first time through, I felt like frontman Scott Windsor’s voice was too articulate, whiney, and “froggy.” The beats all seemed to be the same, melodies banal, and generally lacking anything interesting. It seemed like just another indie pop band. But as I listened to it again and again, I found that the album was much more emotionally grasping, clean, and melodic than I had first perceived. So what I’m trying to say is… I was wrong. Okay, I admitted it.

Sure, Windsor’s voice is a little froggy, but it’s cool. I’ve taken the good with the bad because it's also a very affected voice, as if every word he sings is deeply meaningful to him. The musicality of the six-member band that comprises Umbrellas is also top notch, as can easily be assessed on “Again and Again.” A little keyboard, some cowbell, and a lot of syncopation make this one of the catchiest on the album. Sounding as close as it can be to a dance song without actually being one, its lyrics also provide beat and rhythm to make you at least bob your head a little. The percussive nature of words like “desperation / infatuation / satisfaction” adds a little something extra. And that’s all before the distorted guitar solo that sounds like old school Nintendo comes in.

“Thinking of You” has a great electronic beat and background “ah"s that, along with the song’s dynamic swells, create a performance kind of effect versus just another plain ol’ song. The slower numbers like “Idle and Waiting” did get a little stale upon multiple listens, however, and were likely what led to my “initial thumbs down.” The bottom line is that, for this particular band, faster is better: no question. And even most of the fast songs aren’t that fast, so the slow and sad effect is still present and doesn’t need to be exaggerated.

Illuminare has some really great musical treasures, but they do need a bit of an energy boost here and there because – unless you, too, are reviewing this record – listeners may not give it another chance that it well deserves.
www.umbrellasmusic.com
www.themilitiagroup.com

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Kimberly Rosenbauer

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