Private Eleanor – Sweethearting – A Review

Since my review of the Thrushes record there has been some excitement brewing here. A bunch of people have started sending me CDs. I’ve decided from time to time I’ll review them. I think I’ll be more inclined to review local acts. But why limit myself. Like the Trushes, I know nothing about Private Eleanor. I do know they are a Baltimore band and my friend JG (Al’s girlfriend) likes them. I sort of had this unfounded and illogical impression they were a pop punk band. After listening to the first track, I was surprised. More pleasantly that they weren’t just another pop punk band.

Just a few production notes. The CD was recorded at Inner Ear and Silver Sonya in Virginia. We all know Inner Ear. And I’ve just started to notice Silver Sonya’s ads in Tape Op so I’ve been looking forward to hearing projects of theirs. Based on the recording, Don Zientara was doubtfully involved in the project at all. I can’t hear his techniques anywhere on this record. However, I could have been fooled. I have to say that the mastering was a little too tinny. Perhaps the high end was boosted a little more for the more female audience they are going for? In my car it was too much. Luckily the cheap iPod headphones have a slightly cut high end and I could finish listening with my MacBook. It was perfect with those headphones. I also have to add that the artwork and liner notes were really top rate. I love when bands and/or labels have the foresight to budget for good artwork.

Again, I am going to review this CD track by track.

1. Two By Two – While sounding nothing like Sunny Day Real Estate, I felt like once the cut time section hits and the vibes coming in with the acoustic guitar picked in the right channel it sounded remarkably like 48 from Diary. The vibes are what totally do it for me in this track. And the shaker in the left channel during the verses. The male harmony vocal (Austin Stahl) in this song mildly gets on my nerves. I feel it takes away from the dreamy Marian Glebes’ vocal. Maybe if he was mixed lower. And the Hammond at the end is wonderfully mixed. Thank you Drew Stevens for being one of the most tasteful organists I’ve heard lately.
2. Weeds – One has to love any song that gives us cowbell. Even before that silly SNL skit. Maybe it’s because I am a drummer. I am not sure what’s going on in the right channel. But it sounds like Marian’s vocals are going through a Leslie speaker and it’s just what this song needs. At 1:13 a beautiful Rhodes comes in. It’s great.
3. Vladimir and Gabriel – Just a cute lazy sad Sunday song great for cigarettes and coffee. I like the hard panned boy/girl vocals. It reminds me mildly of Glossary when Maggie would trade off lines with Joey.

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4. On Getting There – Not sure this song is doing anything for me. But the keyboardist is doing wonderful things all over the place.
5. Down Waterview – There’s a special place in my heart when artists sing about where they live and all the things that are around them. What comes to mind is the Dismemberment Plan’s The City. It’s good to be proud of where you live. I think the delay in Austin’s vocals makes this song.
6. A Better Way To Run – A nice change with a faster track. I really like what bassist Bruce Sailer is playing to complement what the Rhodes is doing. I feel like up until this track he was just playing roots. But he really goes out, at least rhythmically in this one and it punches through and sounds wonderful.

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7. Temporary Homes – I am not sure what’s going on here. I think the beat is distracting me. Speaking of Chris Merriam. I know the name. I am not sure how I know the name. Maybe he was someone I booked a gig with a while back.

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8. Enter Early and Often – A cute little short ditty. Sorta reminds me of the Strokes, but with different people playing. If that makes any sense.
9. Consider the Archer – I am not sure how I feel about the production on this song. I feel like the acoustic guitars were recorded in a cave. The mids pop out way too much for my ears. Maybe it’s the headphones. The ‘verbed out piano definitely is saying something. I do love when the drums break in with Marian’s vocals.
10. This Year I am Going To See The Sun – Again, I love when bands speak of local entities. Well done. Another catchy up-tempo song.
11. Two By Two By Two (epilogue) – I wonder if this was simply a demo with added piano. The vocals and guitar are pretty centered which makes me feel this was a one-mic 4-track recording with overdubbed piano and vocals. I love the “ahhhhhh” vocals. Marian is quite the gem. I look forward to hearing more from her.

You can view their website here to listen to music, read their blog, view pictures and more. And you can order Sweethearting below:

[rating:3.5/5] (3.5 out of 5)

It’s mildly refreshing to hear a dreamy pop band these days. It’s even better when they are from your ‘hood. And when it’s all too easy to just be in a rock band, these 5 Baltimoreans are really adding something to the music of this diverse city. With every Baltimore local band I hear, I am falling more and more in love with what’s going on here. It’s a vast contrast to the homogenized DC (a la Dischord) sound that’s getting a little gray up top.