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Emerging from the ashes of hopeful 1990s Philadelphia alt-rock combos like Dandelion and Trip 66 is Laguardia, who issued its debut, Welcome to the Middle, through Universal/Republic after a false start with Interscope. The quartet's flair for the tightly wound, slightly ironic alternative pop song becomes almost immediately apparent with "Holy Ghost," which jitters and shakes with handclaps, stops, starts, and a vintage indie rock guitar line. However, from opener "Roseanna" through the dirgeful chording and squiggly keyboards of "Butterfly," it's Radiohead that casts its long, pasty white shadow down Laguardia's creative runway. Principal vocalist Joshua Ostrander's eerie vocal resemblance to Thom Yorke (especially on "Banner" and the opening cut) doesn't help. There's nothing wrong with wearing an influence unitard. But when it's so close-fitting as to deaden an album's effectiveness with its presence, there's a bit of a problem. It's too bad, really, because Brad Wood's top-shelf production and mixing smartly accentuates the no-frills economy and surging dynamics of album standouts like "Sleepover (116 Overture)." In its strongest moments, Laguardia uses understated rhythm, touches of angular, almost Slint-like guitar, and a bed of synths to find itself in the forest of fake plastic. In those moments -- typified by the aforementioned "Holy Ghost" -- Laguardia sounds like a band making a neurological progression from '90s guitar squelch to the lingering, more esoteric pop of 21st century alternative. Problem is, Radiohead already made that leap, so it gets all the credit. That might not be fair, but it's true, and it puts most of Welcome to the Middle in a just-OK holding pattern.
© Johnny Loftus /TiVo
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Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Brad Wood, Producer, Mixer, Recording Engineer, Unknown, Other, StudioPersonnel - Nick Ferrero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Morpurgo, ComposerLyricist - Laguardia, MainArtist - Joshua Ostrander, ComposerLyricist - Lee Bernstein, ComposerLyricist - Chick Wolverton, Unknown, Other - Gregory Lyons, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Emerging from the ashes of hopeful 1990s Philadelphia alt-rock combos like Dandelion and Trip 66 is Laguardia, who issued its debut, Welcome to the Middle, through Universal/Republic after a false start with Interscope. The quartet's flair for the tightly wound, slightly ironic alternative pop song becomes almost immediately apparent with "Holy Ghost," which jitters and shakes with handclaps, stops, starts, and a vintage indie rock guitar line. However, from opener "Roseanna" through the dirgeful chording and squiggly keyboards of "Butterfly," it's Radiohead that casts its long, pasty white shadow down Laguardia's creative runway. Principal vocalist Joshua Ostrander's eerie vocal resemblance to Thom Yorke (especially on "Banner" and the opening cut) doesn't help. There's nothing wrong with wearing an influence unitard. But when it's so close-fitting as to deaden an album's effectiveness with its presence, there's a bit of a problem. It's too bad, really, because Brad Wood's top-shelf production and mixing smartly accentuates the no-frills economy and surging dynamics of album standouts like "Sleepover (116 Overture)." In its strongest moments, Laguardia uses understated rhythm, touches of angular, almost Slint-like guitar, and a bed of synths to find itself in the forest of fake plastic. In those moments -- typified by the aforementioned "Holy Ghost" -- Laguardia sounds like a band making a neurological progression from '90s guitar squelch to the lingering, more esoteric pop of 21st century alternative. Problem is, Radiohead already made that leap, so it gets all the credit. That might not be fair, but it's true, and it puts most of Welcome to the Middle in a just-OK holding pattern.
© Johnny Loftus /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:35:39
- Main artists: Laguardia
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2003 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. ℗ 2003 Universal Motown Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
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