Wan Santo Condo, Wan Santo Condo

Wan Santo Condo’s self-titled album basically sounds like mainstream, radio-friendly rock. My indie sensibilities push this band to the back of my psyche like an index finger pushing to the back of a bulemic’s mouth. I’m not trying to berate the band, but the genre can disappear into a musical black hole for all I care. That being said, I will say that these guys are decent musicians that come up with some interesting melodic and vocal phrasings (for a rock band, that is).

The strength of this album, though, is definitely in its production qualities. Everything is immaculate and pristine. Clarity and well-thought-out dynamic shifts are a definite theme that runs throughout the entire album. Also, the part most bands tend to neglect, the progressions between the songs, and the simultaneous transition to the next song, are seamless. What is more impressive about this continuity through the album is the fact that they recorded these songs at a whole bunch of different studios in Austin, Los Angeles, and New Orleans, to name a few locations.

This album is okay, in the end, and it’s mainly due to the awesome production job. If, however, this band were to do something that would actually contribute to the musical landscape, I would probably like it more. I’d suggest that these guys open their ears to the abundance of music that’s out there, in hopes that exposure to the infinite possibilities it can provide could motivate them to push into some newer territory.