Divisible – The Alchemy EP / 2006 Self / 3 Tracks / http://www.divisiblemusic.com / Reviewed 11 August 2006

I can understand if a record label wants to go and send a five song sampler for an LP, collecting the songs that reviewers should listen to when they do their review. What I do not understand, however, is having a preview EP of an EP. There are at most six or seven tracks on this disc; why only give us ten minutes of music to review? Anyways, what I can hear of Divisible is interesting. “Fire in A Hospital” starts us out, and brings 1995 back to life. For example, there is a certain distortion during this track that brings back the early days of The Breeders and Nada Surf.

The track is solid but unwieldy. The different segments of the song do not necessarily work well together, and while I understand the call and response vocals during the pre-chorus section of this track, the second set of vocals seems to be on the wrong part of the beat compared to the lead vocalist. The guitar lines seem a little raw and unhewn compared to the very smooth and professional lyrics of the lead vocalist. I’m not sure if this was an intentional thing or not; in its current arrangements, the two different styles only converge to create something fulfilling a few times during the track. There is a much more sedate approach to things during “Starlite Motel”. The guitars play around the upper registers while the vocals do not have easily references.

I suppose the nearest comparison would be Enya or Tori Amos, but there is a gravity to these vocals that neither of the two aforementioned artists have in their own styles. The band and vocalist work much better together in this track, going off the handle at the same time to allow for the most possible intensity to hit listeners. As soon as that happens, the band goes back into the sedate style that marks this track uniquely among the other two tracks on this disc. The disc ends with “The First One To Leave”, an amped-up track by Divisible that pushes listeners at every second. This track could be the band’s biggest hit if the guitars were brought up in volume a little bit. As it is right now, there is a sixties, psych-like sound that is interesting but does not feel completely fitting for the vocalist. A more straight-forward rock approach to this track would have them climbing the charts rapidly. An interesting EP; I’d like to hear their LP when it’s out.

Top Track: The First One To Leave

Rating: 5.7/10

[JMcQ]