Throw Me The Statue - Creaturesque

Originally the solo project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Scott Reitherman, Throw Me The Statue has grown to a quartet and, while this is the second album from the Seattle pop-rockers, it’s the first to be released locally in Australia.

The most noticeable thing about Creaturesque is the distinctive stamp of its producer, Phil Ek, who has worked with, amongst others, The Shins, Built To Spill and Band Of Horses. There is mid-tempo guitar niceness and dreamy vocals aplenty here, so much so that it feels like the identity that the band found with debut Moonbeams has been ebbed away by their choice of producer this time round. Tag, for instance, plays out like a Shins b-side and Hi-Fi Goon is dangerously reminiscent of Built to Spill.

Put aside such overt references though, and Reitherman’s lyrics remain interesting, like on Pistol. “Love stinks/Finance the issue/You be the banks and I’ll be the missiles,” he sings over quiet keyboards. There are some other good moments too, like the electro fuzziness of Snowshoes and Evan Dando-style Baby You’re Bored.

Creaturesque is a nice enough record but, because it doesn’t really offer anything new, it feels like TMTS has missed the boat a little bit. Ten years ago maybe this kind of warmth and prettiness would have won hearts, but in 2009 we’ve been there and done that and the album comes across as little more than inoffensively uninspiring. Ultimately, it’s hard to make it through all 12 tracks without giving in to the urge to dig out your Shins albums and give them a listen instead.