Sure, the Jumbo Audio Project may be ready - and priced to move, no less - but when it comes to campus pride, there's nothing like a sense of history. And among Tufts' claims to fame in the entertainment industry there lies last year's Spring Fling headliner, Guster.
Composed of Tufts graduates Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel, the band started with a 1992 performance in Hotung, recorded two independent albums, and now boasts both a major-label deal and nationwide tours. The three men have made their mark with their unorthodox combination of two guitars and a bongo set, referred to sometimes as "folk-pop" and sometimes as downright unclassifiable.
Many people (Tufts students not the least among them) have picked up Guster's latest CD, Lost and Gone Forever; but its uneven predecessor, Goldfly, doesn't resonate with the same consistent spirit. The band didn't begin there, however, and fans looking backwards shouldn't give up. Those let down by Goldfly should delve a little deeper and uncover the group's actual debut, Parachute.
Guster recorded Parachute in 1994 when its members were still juniors at Tufts - rare copies of the CD bear the group's original name, Gus - and the strength and character of the music is surprising for the first recording from such a young band. The elements that have made the group so successful of late have been there all along.
People unfamiliar with Guster might recognize only a few tracks, most notably "Mona Lisa" and "Happy Frappy," but the meat of the record shows just as much promise for the fledgling group. The trio's talent for catchy, climaxing choruses is evident already. "Window" expands from a simple guitar progression to strings, bongos, and a miniscule verse into the first cycle of a three-segment refrain that hits three different emotional levels in a row. "Scars and Stitches" skimps in similar fashion on the verse in favor of a climactic chorus that resounds like a solid pearl in a swirl of chaotic guitar and drums.
Besides choruses, Guster also excels at kick-offs. There are some quick openers like the full-speed first-track start of "Fall In Two," but the best introductions come with the teases - the songs that build slowly and delay the vocals for up to half a minute or more, especially as seen in "Window," "Happy Frappy," and "Parachute." This same progression of a slow ramp up to the full tempo and intensity continues on later albums with tracks like "Airport Song," "Rainy Day," or "Fa Fa." If nothing else, Guster knows how to keep some of its thunder in reserve for later in the song. No matter how good the first chorus or the first minute or the first half of a song is, the best is always held for the end.
The lyrics are simpler, shorter, and sometimes more awkward than the band's more recent writing, but Miller in particular throws forward enough drama and intensity in his singing to pack some serious emotional impact. The songs themselves are simpler and sparer - not unsurprising from a trio of college juniors - but the intelligent writing and impassioned performances more than make up for it. No amount of studio work or complicated rearrangements can replace the vigor of three college students in love with their music.
Don't start thinking that things have gone downhill since Parachute, however: the band has evolved since 1994, even if the basic sound remains, and all of the changes improve on the original. Fans might be surprised at Parachute's stripped-down style. Most elements unique to Guster - especially the vocals and the percussion - sound familiar, but change is inevitable even over the five years between Parachute and the band's most recent record.
Rosenworcel's percussion on Lost and Gone Forever, for example, transcends simple rhythm and provides the band's signature timbre. Parachute lacks the same intense popping of hands on bongos that makes more recent work like "I Spy" or Goldfly's "Airport Song" more engaging. Instead, Rosenworcel takes on a less audible role here - what some might consider a more traditional place for a drummer. Into that void come four guest kit drummers recruited for the record that dilute the sound.
Moreover, the songwriting isn't impeccable. Some of the tracks - even the popular ones - drag, particularly "Eden" and "Dissolve," despite moments of catchiness. None of the songs are cheerless failures, but some are a bit slow in ensnaring your ear. Considering Guster's penchant for writing about love and suicide, it's unsurprising that some of the tracks sink emotionally, but without glimmers of brightness, it's hard to sell an audience on it.
Not to worry, though. Those glimmers come often enough to buoy the entire disc's mood, even if the album lacks Lost and Gone Forever's near-impeccable construction. Newcomers beware, however: Lost and Gone Forever does a far better job of roping you in, and you're more likely to appreciate Parachute after immersing yourself in the band's more recent work. Guster fans, however, won't regret taking time to check out the group's origins, if they haven't bothered to do so already.
