Chamberlin: Look What I’ve Become

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The folk-indie group Chamberlin received praise for their debut album Bitter Blood and after a cover disk to benefit Vermont flood victims, the group has returned with their next offering, the Look What I’ve Become EP. 

 The most engaging and interesting track here is the opening “Thief”.  Mark Daly’s falsetto lyrical twists are presented over layers of textured sound, a buzzing organ, creeping guitar and (most successfully) pulsating cymbal flourishes. You can hear hints of The National here and a real sense of sonic song construction.  The track seems dreamlike and building, cinematic and confusing; unfortunately the other tracks presented on Look What I’ve Become don’t live up to the promise contained in “Thief”.    

“A Pleasant Conversation Over Drinks” has a spacey light FM vibe, while the first single “Jealousy” seems to be mining a 60’s R&B vibe without any of the soul or rhythm.  “Maryland” is a successful pretty little ballad while “Block It Out” ends the EP on a sparse dance/disco note with out any real groove.        

 The band has now proven that they are comfortable working with textures sounds and layers.  On Look What I’ve Become, the results are mixed; the studio chops are there, yet the EP as a whole isn’t incredibly memorable when the short run time ends.