Germans
Cape Fear

[Arena Rock; 2007]

Styles: indie rock
Others: Grandaddy, Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., Archers of Loaf

When the fuzzed-out bass and drums come in over the gossamer guitar line opening for "Tiger Vacuum Bottle" one feels almost instantaneously transported back to the early to mid-’90s. In particular, one is reminded of the sounds emanating from labels like Matador, Merge, and Homestead, those rumblings that came to define "indie rock" as a genre. Germans may be a young group of guys putting out a debut album, but their relationship to their cultural forebears is so distinct it almost feels like Cape Fear may have been left in a time capsule circa-1992, only to be opened 15 years later as a can of dweeby whoop-ass meant to rekindle a flame that was bound to burn out. And in a way, it works really well by doing just that. Coming at a moment when Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh have just reunited and Pavement reissues are flying off the shelves, maybe this is a time where listeners are ready for indie rock to reach back to its roots?

Keeping that in mind, Cape Fear is like a fun trip down memory lane — and a delightfully tuneful one at that. The only trouble is that after having listened to it a few times, I’m still left unsure of what Germans’ sound is supposed to be. It’s not exactly that they are cast from a single band’s mold, but rather that their chameleon-like abilities have them creating aural moments that echo an array of groups of yore: "Nature’s Mouth" sounds like it could be one of Pavement’s outtakes from the reissue series; "So It’s Out" is like a roughshod Sebadoh rocker; even the heavy use of cheesy synths throughout the album belies a debt to Grandaddy, especially on "Pogos Abenteuer."

This isn’t to say Germans are just a derivative exercise. They may flaunt their influences a tad too heavily, but their skill and talent are still notable. For those looking for a nostalgic trip, this is a great ticket, but I can’t help but feel that many of those folks might be more inspired to go back through their own collections rather than get hooked on Cape Fear itself.

1. Tiger Vacuum Bottle 2. No Job 3. Nature’s Mouth 4. I am the Teacher 5. So It’s Out 6. Franchise 7. Pogos Abenteuer 8. M Bison 9. Brown’s