When Guster formed in 1992, soon after its members met at Tufts Wilderness Orientation, the band did not even have a real rock drummer. Founded by Tufts alumni Adam Gardner (LA ’95), Ryan Miller (LA ’95) and Brain Rosenworcel (LA ’95), the group cultivated a unique style based around Rosenworcel’s motley drum kit of congas and cymbals. Although this sound has dissipated since the band fell into the mainstream spotlight with “Lost and Gone Forever” (1999), many of its popular albums continued to incorporate unconventional percussive and melodic elements. However, with the release of its previous album “Easy Wonderful” (2010) and now 2015's “Evermotion," Guster has shed its early raw shell.
Produced by Richard Swift, who works as keyboardist for The Shins and bassist for The Black Keys, “Evermotion” is an indie-pop daydream, full of catchy melodies and echoing synths. Though the album was recorded in only three weeks using lo-fi techniques, the effects of abundant post-production are apparent in the reverb-drenched tracks. On the surface, it’s a solid release with a couple of inevitably disappointing songs. Old fans may find the departure from Guster’s stylistic origins a little surprising at first, but the soft-focus ambience and nostalgic keyboard lines are certainly not unpleasant to the ear.
The downside to this brand of amiable, radio-friendly indie is that it has been done before and done better. As a result, Guster probably will not stand out among modern indie experimenters like St. Vincent and Spoon. On drowsy Sunday nights and in moments of inattentive tranquility, however, “Evermotion” is an enjoyable choice to nod along to.
“Doin’ It By Myself,” is a standout on the album. With a backbone of hand drums to complement the syncopated beat of the kit, the song references trademark sounds from the band's earlier years while adding a new dimension. Still, the track remains stylistically in line with the updated sound of the rest of the album. Synth and horn sounds fill out the sonic field, especially as they swell into the infectious chorus. The song ends with a slick bass line, highlighting the band’s tight rhythm section, an evident strength throughout the record. In fact, without the grooving bass riffs and panned percussion, “Lazy Love,” the next track on the album, would have been so laid back that the listener could fall asleep.
“Simple Machine” picks up the pace of the album with its poppy, upbeat melodies. It’s clear by this point that the bandmembers of Guster have a knack for writing a chorus that won’t get out of the listeners' heads. “Simple Machine” sounds like the song that would be playing during a dance sequence in an indie rom-com as the camera zooms in on the protagonist’s adorably awkward dance moves. But even with the admitted catchiness of the tune, it’s unerringly generic. Though Miller sings, “I’m not a simple machine / I have become something else,” the sugary, repetitive track does seem rather uninspired and mechanical.
Luckily, the seventh track, “Gangway,” saves the album with its dynamism. It brings together Guster’s early guitar-based sound with the newfound atmospheric quality of “Evermotion.” The song starts with acoustic guitars, which are later joined by electric arpeggios and fret noise. These additional elements create a rich texture, providing an interesting listening experience even during the mellow parts of the track. While other songs on the album contain these sorts of layers too, “Gangway” manages to do so without generating an overload of '80s synth sounds. Furthermore, the band manages to transition through dynamic chord progressions seamlessly, showing some incredible songwriting prowess.
Unfortunately, this momentum does not carry through the rest of the album. The last few songs return to the lull of the first tracks, with little to distinguish them from one another. “Farewell,” the coda to the album, is the opposite of a grand finale, dragging on for two-and-a-half minutes that feel more like hours. Like many of the other songs, this one isn’t necessarily bad so much as unoriginal. Miller’s somnolent voice and the track's equally lethargic music make for a forgettable conclusion.
To reflect on the brighter side of things, it’s impressive that Guster, a band that has been around for almost 25 years, has put out an album that is still relevant to the current music scene. Hopefully the band’s next release will be a little more imaginative, but despite its shortcomings, “Evermotion” is still contemporary enough to win over a young audience that may not be familiar with Guster’s early material.
