“Throwaway Style” - The Exploding Hearts
(Words/music: Louis Bankston and Adam Cox, available on Guitar Romantic, Dirtnap Records 2003)

I have mixed feeling about the term “lo-fi” as a musical genre.  Like a lot of genre terms, it says more about the aesthetic qualities of the music (or, in some cases, the people making it) than the actual music itself.  In this case, “lo-fi” refers to recorded music captured on equipment with technical limitations.  Still, I feel like some people try to turn this into a question of authenticity – because it was produced in cheap circumstances, it is more “real” than music made in an expensive studio.  Yes, there is something to be said about music recorded in one take that’s presented warts-and-all without any editing.  However, this doesn’t mean that every record recorded for $100 or any song with tape hiss is better than recordings that sound “flawless.”  In many cases, the crappy production quality means that the band probably isn’t very good.

Granted, there are the occasional diamonds in the rough.  The now defunct Portland, Oregon band The Exploding Hearts provide an example with their Guitar Romantic album.  These songs compensate for the low quality recording with boundless charm and energy.  For example, even though the guitars sound tinny and the drums sound boxy, “Throwaway Style” shines because of its melodically-minded arrangement.  Even through all of the fuzz – most of which is intentional – the melody shines through as the band stomps through the song with youthful energy and flair.  If the murky recording suggests the band is new to the recording process, they display the confidence of a more veteran band.  Judging from the recording, I imagine Exploding Hearts shows were a blast and that the band genuinely enjoyed playing these songs (unfortunately, three members died in a car accident shortly after Guitar Romantic’s release, so I can’t test my hypothesis).  Thus, it’s hard to judge Guitar Romantic without thinking about the “potential” for the band’s future.  I find this is the case with a lot of lo-fi recordings, whether they are demos or proper releases; I often find myself thinking “this would sound great if they polished it up.”  However, it’s the rare case where the songs are good enough to transcend this nagging sense of the album seeming “unfinished.”  Guitar Romantic doesn’t sound unfinished, yet it’s hard to listen to the album without thinking about what might have followed if circumstances were different.  It’s a sad thought, and ultimately, it’s unfair to gems like “Throwaway Style” which deserve to be judged on their own merits.

More on The Exploding Hearts: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm