"L.P. NO. 1" is a 2002 release by the California Alternative band Avelar.
This is an interesting album.
On first play I thought it was poor quality, and basically not very good.
One song had caught my attention though, "x - y = z".
So I decided to have a second listen while reading the lyrics.
As I read and listened, the power of the music was revealed.
The songs are tied to the lyrics and really convey what is being said.
The album is a true "alternative" album in that it is not what would be considered a mainstream sound.
Avelar has a unique sound pulling from the early resurgence of punk in the late 80's and college radio.
Songs like "x - y = z" and "ellison's dreams" have a "ZWAN" quality in the droning melody and harmonies while others have a "Connells" feel.
"L.P. NO. 1" is full of heart-felt feelings and personal journeys.
Melody - 9
The melodies are quite interesting.
Most of the sounds stay with basic clean voicings with a little bit of distortion here and there.
This accents the strong melodic content of the CD.
The melodies are continued across the instruments to bind the songs and keep them coherent.
I would like to note that unfortunately there is not a Lyric portion of the ratings.
The lyrics are excellent.
They flow very well considering the metric nightmare.
Arrangement - 9
The arrangements are also nice.
The band is able to create interesting musical environments.
The songs are able to flow into different emotions quite fluidly, like the acoustic portions of "1, 2, 3, 4" make the quick tempo selections have more power.
The bass flows in, to become its own instrument and add to the overall song.
All the instruments including vocals do a good job of furthering the music.
Passion - 10
Avelar has obvious passions for the subject material they cover in their music.
Andrew Spitser has an unconventional voice, but the sound of his voice adds a lot to the music.
If a seasoned singer sang these songs it would not have the power he adds to the music.
Production Quality - 6
This to me is what is really holding the CD back.
A couple of rank vocal notes and instrument miscues tarnished the music.
I am not sure if the band didn't have enough takes to correct these, but little fixes like this would make the next album stronger.
I also would like the guitars to have a thicker sound.
Middle portions of "green lights" have some interesting guitar work that are not picked up by the recording.
The mix is OK, but I would liked to have some of the instruments break out of the drone in some songs.
Packaging - 9
Packaging is great.
Printed CD and case with insert.
"L.P. NO. 1" has some really great gems on it.
Don't let the rough exterior of the sound stop you from giving it that well deserved second listen.
The music is extremely honest and has all the ingredients for an excellent indie album.
I think Avelar's sound will be popping up in the mainstream soon.
