Pinback
Blue Screen Life
Ace Fu Records

San Diego's Pinback, of layered harmonies and vocals — and rather unintelligible lyrics — returns with its sophomore follow-up to 1999's self-titled collection of gray-sky ditties. Even if the cover art is strikingly similar, Blue Screen Life doesn't depart much from the texture of the first, even though the duo of Armistead Burwell Smith IV and Rob Crow does seem a bit more sonically chipper at times.

"Concrete Seconds" is a bouncy guitar tune that takes place at a bus stop. The chorus, "Anything I say to you is gonna come out wrong, anyway," seems more like a light-hearted announcement than a dejected revelation.

The tracks are occasionally buffered by samples of some guy talking about things that have naught to do with anything. The monotone mini-speeches work as segues from major to minor mood swings. A half-step down from the bounce of "Concrete Seconds" leads to the plucky drone of "Boo," in which the simple, melancholy lyrics can be interpreted as curious observations. "Hi ho, something's tugging on my leg and there it goes." There's even a tribute to a goldfish ("Penelope"), which lends to the album's innocent feel.

But it doesn't remain childlike. A few more tracks into the album, and the Pinback boys start to get a little more serious and feisty. The guitars take a somber and driven turn; the vocals become even more difficult to decipher. Where the words lack in complexity (or comprehension), the sounds provide the lush set of Blue Screen Life.

And in the end, Pinback seems to be all about the noise it creates. The crisp guitars and beats comprise the stronger Siamese twin of the Pinback sound. Together, the contrapuntal vocals and dense yet clean melodies sustained and delivered by guitars, bass and keyboard make up the blank, beautiful blue screen for which you can provide the images. It's a soundtrack for dreams that somehow manages not to be boring as it lulls you to sleep.

As sung in the opener, "Offline P.K.," "It feels like it could just go on forever." And as an inviting soundscape to ensure pleasant dreams, that might not be a bad thing.

— Lavina Lee (lavina at flakmag dot com)