The Soft Civil War $3.19

About The Soft Civil War

From the Denver Post, August 11, 2006:

ALL PLAYERS ARE CREATED EQUAL

By John Wenzel
Denver Post Staff Writer
DenverPost.com

Imagine the potential mayhem of a leaderless band. Who helms the ship through the inevitably choppy disputes? Who collects and distributes the cash after gigs? And who is the lead singer?

Denver-based indie rock collective Everything Absent or Distorted could not care less. Its seven members see themselves as a democratic collective, sustained more by chemistry than a singular artistic vision or iron-fisted captain.

"There's no guiding influence," said Jody Pilmer, who switches among guitar, drums and bass. "No one in the band has a stronghold on what we're doing. It's more the way we all work together."

The group, which will release its new album, "The Soft Civil War," at the Hi-Dive on Saturday, sports a pair of lead singers: Bryce Merrill and John Kuker. Still, even those two frequently trade instruments, giddily mixing guitar, drums, bass and synthesizer. Drummer Trevor Trumble then picks up the guitar and contributes to the vocals, while Ryan Stubbs switches from bass to keyboards, the whole outfit barely pausing to take a breath.

In concert, Everything Absent or Distorted recalls a late-'90s Elephant Six, that hallowed indie collective that included Denver's Dressy Bessy, the now-expatriated Apples in Stereo and acts like Of Montreal and Neutral Milk Hotel. The bizarre, unself-conscious glee in their performances intoxicated otherwise dour hipsters.

Similarly, EAOD erases the line between audience and performer with its capricious, cathartic sets. Andy Maher rocks out on his banjo and accordion as if possessed by a sweaty, good-natured demon. The guys aren't afraid to bare their emotions in their lyrics or on stage, but they're too talented to devolve into earnest emo-pop.

And they come up with stunts such as inviting 45 friends to dress in pink and show up at a graveyard for a photo shoot. "We're trying to subvert (the idea) of the collective," said Merrill, who plays guitar and bass besides singing. "But we're not doing it for subversion's sake. There's a tension in the band, but our legitimation comes from writing and playing together."

The current EAOD lineup, if you can believe it, is more focused than its late 2004 genesis, a basement act that featured anywhere from 10 to 13 members. The guys initially met through friends and Craigslist ads, their parallel sensibilities quickly emerging.

"To sit here and say we don't care what anyone else thinks of us would be disingenuous," said Merrill, "but what addicts me to this band is genuinely appeasing and impressing the six other people around me."

Like the cover art of pink-clad friends dancing in a graveyard, the music on "The Soft Civil War" is at once bittersweet and creepily comforting. The Decemberists and the Arcade Fire act as reference points on songs such as "The Exit Parade" and "Bureau of Yards and Docks." Melodic choruses bleed into triumphant full-on rock bridges. "Closer Than You Think Pt. 1" even splits the difference between Jeff Mangum and Paul Westerberg, its Guided by Voices-influenced chords rumbling with a delightful mid-fi fuzz.

"Our new stuff is a bit more orchestrated as opposed to collaged," said Joe Grobelny, who plays trombone, guitar and bass. "But it's almost to the point of clutter on stage."

One can't help but feel these guys almost prefer it that way, their contributions feeding EAOD's sound without regard for individual recognition.

"There is an archetype for rock 'n' roll bands where one person does something and everyone follows, and what keeps me up at night is utter gut-wrenching dread that we'll slip into that," said Merrill. "We are guilty of buying way too far into what we do."

True as that may be, Denver sorely needs more bands like this - confident and talented without settling for complete self-satisfaction.