Monday, June 4, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
GUSIC reaIE
Great record frmGetSociety'

11

By MATT RONEY drizzle of the intro to the thun-
DailyArts Writer derous crash of the final chorus.
Fans' devotion has steadily grown
Initially performing as the Orig- since the first release, so naturally,
inal Brothers and Sisters of Love, expectations are high for the fol-
the band now low-up. And for the most part,
known as the **** Compass Rose Bouquet doesn't
Great Lakes disappoint.
Myth Soci- Great Lakes A well-crafted and mature
ety has been work, Compass Rose Bouquet is a
a presence in worthy successor to Great Lakes
Ann Arbor Compass Rose Myth Society's eponymous debut,
since 1996 Bouquet but with a certain flavor all its
when broth- own. "Heydays," the opening
ers Jamie and Quack!Media track, sets the stage and gets the
Tim Mon- listener prepared for 45 minutes of
ger moved here from Brighton. Michiganian nostalgia. The clean,
After two well-received albums, palm-muted rhythm guitar and
the bankruptcy of its label and a smooth, gently lilting slide guitar
shuffling of personnel, the group lead is classic GLMS. Together
agreed upon a name change. they build to a climax worthy of
Establishing it as "a folk-rock Explosions in the Sky, though the
band that actually rocks" accord- similarities end there.
ing to Mark Deming of the All The second track, "Summer
Music Guide, the group's 2005 Bonfire," is stirring and dance-
self-titled debut as GLMS was able, often bordering on country
an incendiary blend of nostalgic with its driving bass line, foot-
down-home folk and joyous arena tapping beat and raucous call-
rock - a style dubbed "Northern and-response chorus. In fact,
Rock" by the band. Compass Rose Bouquet is entirely
A massive feat for a debut, Great more country than its predeces-
Lakes Myth Society managed to sor. The band is in the midst of
define an entirely unique brand a love affair with the banjo, and
of sonic poetry. Take for example, uses the instrument to great effect
"Buffalo Nickel," a slowly building on slower tracks like "March" and
piece whose structure mimics the "Days of Apple Pie."
experience of a torrential thun- Unfortunately, these same
derstorm from a pre-World War tracks can be a little jarring given
II house on Ann Street. The music the energy level of the rest of the
progresses from the preliminary album; their plodding thoughtful-

ness tends to break the sequence
a little too abruptly. The songs
themselves, though, are quite good
- "Days of Apple Pie," in particu-
lar, ends with a groovy crescendo
echoing with chilling, almost
whispered vocal harmonies.
Sadly, the highs are never quite
as high here as on the debut. Yes,
songs like "Queen of the Barley
Fool" and "Debutante" certainly
rock, but the lack of showstop-
pers like the debut's shout-along
"Across the Bridge" is noticeable.
However, the band does ben-
efit from a newfound consistency,
which makes Compass Rose Bou-
quet a more satisfying listen when
taken as a whole. The sound here
is a more contemplative one, mak-
ing the mood evoked far more
definite. The band has elected to
chill out and take things a little
slower, which is in its own way
just as effecting as the old rock-
ers. This time they have a far bet-
ter sense of what they want.
Lyrically, Compass Rose Bou-
quet is in the same vein as Great
Lakes Myth Society. Both focus on
the experience of growing up and
living in Michigan, though more
universal themes of love and
loss are also present. At times,
the writing is inspired, with
a distinctly poetic sensibility
- "March" and "Stump Speech"
come readily to mind. occasion-
ally though, the descriptiveness
of the lyrics can be a little over-

wrought. On "Nightfall at
Electric Park," in particu-
lar, the exhaustive imag-
ery makes what should
be a charming childhood
memory feel trite. The
GLMS lyricists are fine
poets and balladeers, but
here they take the sweet-
ness a little too far.
Despite some flaws, the
Great Lakes Myth Soci-
ety has crafted a fantastic
summertime record. When
Compass Rose Bouquet hits
stores June 10, expect
another solid record from
one of Michigan's most
beloved bands.