The Rosebuds

The Rosebuds are one of those charming indie bands emerging from the storied North Carolina scene featuring such legends as Superchunk and Archers of Loaf. In 2003, husband and wife duo Kelly Crisp and Ivan Howard released their affable debut, The Rosebuds Make Out, which wavers between giddy lush ‘60s inspired pop music and emotive love tunes. But on their second outing, Birds Make Good Neighbors, the couple segue in a different direction. Gone are the infectious fun-loving hooks that made their debut so lofty only to be replaced with earnest and dubious ballads questioning relationships and love. Several of the songs contain sing songy/rhyming lyrics about eternal youth and metaphorical songs about nature and birds.

The opening track is “Hold Hands and Fight” that starts minimally with Howard speaking about “bracing ourselves” then explodes into the band’s signature repeated “whooaas” and lines about surviving done with jangling melodies. “Boxcar” delves into ambiguity and the calm before the storm territory with the silly lyrics: “I’m not crazy, I’m just a little boy/ You are not crazy, you are just a little girl,” succumbing to splintered childhood fantasies. The best track on the record is “Leaves Do Fall” where Howard and Crisp trade off vocal duties reminiscent of Sons and Daughters equipped with strumming guitars, fast drum beats and a contagious chorus. Happiness doesn’t seep through until almost mid-album with the dreamy and poppy “Lovers Rights” and continues with the clap-your-hands “Shake Our Tree” that asks: “Are you ever gonna treat me right?” while personifying birds. The album ends akin to their previous album with a precise and mainly instrumental song.“4-Track Love Song” appears to be misplaced with its brimming cyclic snare beat, coarse guitar feedback and themes about finding fortitude and moving forward while the song fades into echoing “La, la, la’s.”

On this record, a certain amount of momentum lacks as The Rosebuds become more introspective and melancholy to demonstrate how they have matured as a band. Change is always good and should be embraced, but it’s surprising how quickly the twosome lost their sunny disposition. Birds Make Good Neighbors is a great autumnal record representing leaves changing, daylight fading and feelings evolving into oblivion.