Ammi - Imitation
Rating
RIYL
Gatsby’s American DreamPortugal the Man
MewithoutYou
Tracklist
1. Mechanique2. The Story of Jason Jackson
3. Persuasion
4. The Circus
5. Screwtape
6. The Somnambulist
7. Imitation
8. Static
9. Words
10. When It Falls Apart
11. For What It's Worth
12. The Ascent Of The Prodigal
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Before hearing Imitation I had never heard of Ammi, and with good reason. The band has only an EP under their belts, which makes the content of Imitation, the group’s first full length, all the more impressive. The group sights groundbreaking artists like U2 and Bob Dylan as major influences, and the layered instrumentation and eccentric vocals found on this album prove that the band have truly set out to do profound things.
The songs tell a story, painting the scenes for a drama and play into each other incredibly well, switching from spoken word verses to melodic choruses consistently. Though hard to pin down, the group’s sound is somewhere along the lines of a danceable indie/alt rock with a space/experimental influence. The verses are often fun and grab the listener's attention with their off kilter lyrics and catchy melodies. Instrumentally, the band seems to have few boundaries, most songs starting off rather simple and building up to complex compositions that seem to layer the instrumentation. It’s hard to deny faint comparisons to acts like MewithoutYou and Henry Rollins, not so much for their content or direct relation in sound, but more the attitude in which Phil Vickers delivers his spoken word content. Obviously a much more reserved and less aggressive version of the former two, but nonetheless, Vicker’s style stands strong.
Where many of the albums tracks have a predominate dance vibe embedded in their indie sound, tracks like “The Somnabulist” and “When It Falls Apart” see a departure from the lighter site of the band and show a more serious side of the group’s effort, playing into the idea of the album being the soundtrack to a drama with a range of ups and downs. Though these tracks aren’t as diverse as the bulk of the album’s content and tend to blend into the work of their peers more easily, they are still solid tracks that provide the album with an enjoyable range, which helps the albums playback value.
In closing, Imitation is not without its flaws, but it does show immense promise and should put the band on the map. The group has succeeded in staying clear of most trends and although it lags at times, it is altogether a solid album.
--Josh Tabbia
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