THE BLANK PAGES
45 & 33 (Face Down Records)
Reviewed by Erick Mertz

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There is nothing that sounds more to my ears like amateur hour than a CD that opens with the crackling fuzzy sound of a needle dropping on vinyl. It's nostalgic and cheap, and unlike a modern movie shot in black and white, it adds nothing to the quality of the overall product. I mean, if you're looking for the audio aesthetic of a vinyl recording then release your album on vinyl. Period.

The Blank Pages album 45 & 33 starts with the sound of needle dropping on vinyl and proceeds along for a little while merrily and then terminates. It sounds a little like The Raspberries, maybe. I guess it's catchy too, and I'd be remiss to say that the Blank Pages don't have their sound as tight as a snare drum, but I can't be sure. I started on this rant about that three second sound bite and now I can't really remember the rest of what I was going to write.

© 2003 - Erick Mertz