Intake – Moments + Definition (2009)

SCORE 5.8

    Remember for the past sixteen months when Muse was promising us a Van Dyke Parks transformation, the same kind that had propelled flaccid bands like Silverchair to new heights with orchestrations of grandiose proportions? And when it came (haha), The Resistance turned out to be one sticky, unwarranted Matthew Bellamy wet dream?

    So now that I've moved past that sickening analogy, let me say that the moral of this story is that a band soloized is a band Oasis-ized. The numerous examples of Aerosmith, Fleetwood Mac, and Queen becoming solo vehicles to their respective stars at the end of their tenures are well documented (and eulogized for some goddamn reason rather than becoming cautionary tales). Steven Tyler needed Joe Perry; Lindsey Buckingham needed Stevie Nicks—and Freddie Mercury sure as hell needed Brian May. What would A Night at the Opera have been otherwise? Oh yeah. Innuendo.

    But not all wet dreams are bad. Last Tango in Paris was a particularly compelling one, despite the inclusion of some Bertolucci butter. Ben Folds' Rockin' the Suburbs was arousing to say the least. And who could forget that little side affair Jimmy LaValle had called The Album Leaf?

    Intake is a local Dallas band that consist mainly of two sets of brothers: the Martins, Ethan and Jonny (electric, and bass guitars); and the Camachos, Johan and Jonathan (drum set, and lead vocals/background vocals/percussion/acoustic guitar/electric guitar/programming/lyricist/arranger). As you can see, one of the Camacho brothers runs the band, which means that the success of Intake rests solely on his massively ambitious shoulders. Well, it turns out that, to make a rude comparison, it's more Videodrome than Sex, lies and videotape—and by that I mean, sure, it's sex, but it doesn't sparkle.

    The album opens on "i... and YOU" in an exciting 9/4 signature, with "Pagan Poetry"-esque twinkles and exciting stop-and-go songwriting, but gets bogged down with a tinny guitar that lacks punch. "Isn't It Beautiful" is a standout track, with multi-layered keyboard work that shimmers through its effortless chord changes. It's excellently textured with its guitar-delay effects and background harmonies, and excites its entire run time. Unfortunately, the album is a failure to deliver on the promise of its opening two tracks over the course of the next six songs, only broken up by the Anberlin-inspired "Chasing Love." Lyrically, "Vigil" and "Better Day" are full of clichés that would make Sandra Bullock proud, ultimately hollow and unable to connect to the listener. Whenever there's a great moment of programming or a pleasurable vocal slide such as on "Inside of Me," there is a poorly chosen 80's guitar sound or a weak moment of production when you wish the drums and bass were just stronger (or, there's just an unfortunately chosen metaphor like, well, "Inside of Me"). "Lady Wisdom" has the best vocal and lyrical moments in the entire album, deftly balancing moments between richness and minimalistic solos. The album ends as it started, creating a brilliant soundscape with the instrumental "+ Definition" and an all out (and magnificently realized) homage to Björk with "Moments" gives us a glimpse into the compositional talent of Intake's leader, Jonathan Camacho.

    Standard melodic-rock outfits such as Intake always have a band or two that they are clearly enamored with, and Earthsuit/Mute Math and Björk seem to be the foie gras of Mr. Camacho. And when it comes to textures, drum changes, and fills, Intake is at its best. But a lispy voice unsuited for rock and lyrics that never reach into a mythology or cultural divide for inspiration leave Intake's debut full of heart, but without much blood.

~ Ben Fisher