Friday, August 20, 2004
Local CDs laced with charm
Portland Tribune
Friday, August 20, 2004
by John Chandler
The Minor Thirds
"Dishwasher Thief"
(Sad Penguin)
Why these locals decided to give their new album a pulp-novel plot—guy and girl pull a heist, and complications ensue—is anybody's guess. I must admit that some of the narrative subtleties have eluded me thus far. Fortunately, the music is buoyant enough and the songwriting suitably snazzy to relegate these thorny questions to the back burner.
The setup here is fairly Spartan: Acoustic guitar, accordion, standup bass and jittery drums frame each number. Guitarist Chris Piuma handles most of the vocalizing, with accordion gal Charlotte Wells stepping up in a welcome supporting role. The songs careen from jaunty and nervous ("The Thieves Guild," "Going Home") to sweetly pretty ("Pitstop") to ambitious and elegant (a cover of Cole Porter's "Ace in the Hole") to kind of spooky ("Safe in the Alabaster Chambers"). Here and there traces of the Violent Femmes, They Might Be Giants and Sebadoh flicker and fade.
Piuma's voice occasionally wanders away from the proper key, but I suppose we can chalk up the odd blunder to character development. If he always sang in tune, how interesting would he be? Could we truly relate to his struggles?
Story line aside, the Minor Thirds can count dexterity, daffy charm and considerable chutzpah among their musical gifts.
The Minor Thirds play their CD release party at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at the Red and Black Cafe, 2138 S.E. Division St., 503-231-3899, free.
Copyright 2004 Portland Tribune
