Spectreview: Service Animal – All The Wrong Defenses

-DEEP PINK-

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“It’s easier to sleep when you’re blind 
So you fall back on the dotted line”

Of all the things that Service Animal get right on All The Wrong Defenses, the most important may be that, for a band of five people, it sounds like it took every single one of those people to make. With two guitars, keys, and two vocalists on top of the standard rock fare, the band pool their strengths into a record that glimmers with many of indie’s numerous colors while maintaining a clear focus on serious-leaning alt rock. The band’s tight throughout, with the guitarists matching the rhythm section deftly. Key to the album’s success is a penchant for creative melodies, from the winding triplets of galloping opener “Sleepwalking” to the emotive leads of “Do Or Die” and “Haircut.” Those two vocalists make for an interesting pair, and they work well in the roles they fill on their respective songs. Andrew Bailey’s a savvy shapeshifter that fits whatever the song calls for, whether that’s a restrained Avey Tare on “Sleepwalking,” Brandon Flowers’ clear-cut syllables on “Keep It,” or the rasp of Hamilton Leithauser on tracks like “This Is What It Feels Like” and “Tannhauser Gates.” Emma Staake, who essentially makes her debut here, has only one voice, but it’s a remarkable presence every time it appears. Simply by virtue of its effortless quality, she turns what would otherwise be sightly cliché lyrics on “Do Or Die” into something deeply affecting, while the touching closer, “Pre Tense” becomes the record’s best moment. If the band is truly dedicated to the “art of the climb,” they should be happy to know that All The Wrong Defenses is a confident step forward that improves upon virtually everything they’ve done so far.

Recommended for your first trip to New York.