The Republic Tigers "Keep Color" (Chop Shop)
By Kimberly Rosenbauer
Wednesday. May 21, 4:00 PM
After a few listens, the color grows brighter.

Hailing from Anytown USA (Kansas City, MO that is), The Republic Tigers are anything but normal, middle-of-the-road, or simple. In fact, they’re one of those bands that are excruciatingly difficult to define or describe. On their newest record Keep Color, once you think you’ve got them figured out, it’s on to the next track with more numbers added to the equation.

Keep Color begins with the group’s strongest and most radio-ready track, “Buildings and Mountains.” The song is the easiest to use to describe the overall sound of The Republic Tigers, and one which they should use as their archetype to return to whenever creativity gets low (it gets close in some songs on the album, though mostly remains high). The song portrays a traveling, steadily moving sort of rhythm underneath whimsical melodies and vocals, placing their style in purgatory somewhere between classic and indie rock. The ethereal echoing background “ooo”s and “ahhh”s even add a darker '80s synth vibe just to keep you interested. This track is a perfect exemplar of how to use musical influences to create a new and modern sound.

One of the characteristics that was hard for me to get accustom to on the first few listens was the frequent “talk-singing” in some of the tracks. In “Golden Sand,” the singer’s reverberating and booming baritone voice sounds more like the omniscient narrator of a rock opera as he asks, “How much responsibility do you bear / almost as much responsibility that you bear if you failed to speak your mind / when it might have made some kind of a difference.” As the song continues, the same verses repeat but gradually become faster with added instruments (guitar, then drums, then keys) until the song’s abrupt end. Even though The Republic Tigers choose to use such different song stylings, they successfully bring the listener back to familiarity, but on their own terms.

On other tracks, there is plenty of “real” singing as well, even in choruses at times. Tracks like “The Nerve” and “Made Concrete” rely mostly on the melodies the vocals provide, with a strong syncopated beat underneath. In fact, on “Air Guitar,” the melody of the vocals is so catchy, light, and fluffy, that you almost don’t realize the song is actually an ode to air guitar playing. Huh? Yeah, don’t really get this one… isn’t air guitar for people who don’t actually play? Or sing? In their own real band?

Anyway.

The Republic Tigers certainly have a lot to offer as a band that will challenge your expectations. However, I only came to the realization of their greatness after many, many listens. It took me that long to find the cohesion amongst tracks and understand the picture the group wanted to paint via this album. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if today’s fast-paced, ADD-type listener would have the time to figure this out before moving on.
www.chopshoprecords.net

Kimberly Rosenbauer

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