Maritime - We the Vehicles Review

First Impression:
Final Rating:

At the risk of exposing myself as a fanboy, I must say that I was immensely disappointed with Maritime’s first full-length release, Glass Floor. The prospect of a marriage of The Promise Ring’s melody-machine Davey von Bohlen and drummer Dan Dider with Dismemberment Plan mad-bassist Eric Axelson was enough to make various indie nerds drool with anticipation. The result was unremarkable, and the tepid Glass Floor fizzled.

Enough, it seems, to warrant We the Vehicles being released in America a full six months after being made available in Japan and Europe. Maybe Flameshovel is hoping the Glass Floor backlash will be forgotten during this six months through smart publicity and buzz, and our international friends won’t be sophisticated enough to care. Supposedly it has something to do with difficulty finding a label stateside.

From the beginning of the record, it’s clear efforts have been made to amend the saccharine and hallow production of Glass Floor. Read, this mostly means von Bohlen’s wispy voice is carefully tucked behind instruments with electrical currents flowing through them, which is for the best. Stepping out of the acoustic-limelight, his voice takes its rightful place as a secondary instrument. This allows von Bohlen’s intelligent songwriting to shine, just as it did in [my fantasies] when this band was first conceived.

Axleson’s leash has been loosened and a spry 1980’s feel has been liberally applied to the bass n’ drums here -- complete with synths, a backbeat on “Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts” and varied moving bass lines. It comes across as generally likeable and keeps things from bogging down without being classified as one of those “dance rock” records that we don’t talk about.

“Tearing Up the Oxygen” is a good example of all that. This great track is being groomed as the remedy for some of the remaining sour grapes. The combination of rhythmic precision and melodic talent drives this album, just as it should have in the first place.

That’s not to say this record is perfect. It didn’t blow me away. I kind of went back and forth on it (my initial reaction being an immense sense of relief, followed by a period of doubt and then recovery). Von Bohlen can’t sing, but that’s no secret and I feel unoriginal and a bit dirty for having mentioned it. Some of the melodies sound a lot like TPR’s swan songs with new sheep clothing, which is also to be expected.

However, the spit and polish applied to the pop deluge one can expect from von Bohlen is a welcome change of pace. Mr. Emergency is still chugging away, and We the Vehicles is a sign that the road is being righted.

“We are powerful despite our injuries,” declares “Calm”.

Past wrongs have been addressed and many patched up. I still love you, Davey.

Thank you for holding Davey accountable, Eric.

Keep the time, Dan. Nice work boys.