Eldridge Rodriguez, This Conspiracy Against Us

The male solo musician falls into one of two categories, generally. He’s either ripping off Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith or he’s backed by bored synthesizers or a bored acoustic guitar. Singer Eldridge Rodriguez successfully avoids both traps on his new album, This Conspiracy Against Us. At some points, there are echoes of Xiu Xiu; at other points, he channels Tom Waits or Leonard Cohen.

He’s got that exasperated, exhausted passion pushing its way through fuzzy, mysterious instruments on every track. The songs start off simple and raw but eventually fold into epic, desperate pleas for something. I’m not sure what that something is just yet.

“You Get What You Want” is one such song, unpredictable and fascinating as it is. When Rodriguez finally leads us to the chorus, it feels like we’ve heard a few songs. It’s exhausting. “A-C-T-I-O-N / Action action, we want action,” is yelled by cheerleaders or something while he tells us we get what we want. The song slows and sounds like it’s about to end while the cheerleaders yell, then Rodriguez chimes in with another verse and the song takes on a new meaning.

This Conspiracy Against Us shows Rodriguez’s potential, and he has tons. It’s raw and full of stumbles and uneven moments but by the end of the album, one feels like they’ve just been taken on a broken journey through their very depths. Pianos haunt on “Tirefire,” while Eldridge pleads again for that strange something. There are songs of heartbreak and songs of unrequited love, of watching that girl from behind a wall while she sways and manipulates. “Lexington, KY” is beautiful and sad, just like a stupid plan to get her back. A harmonica is utilized on “Parade of the Saddest Girls,” the track with the most interesting lyrics of the album.

Most of the lyrics are too vague and confusing to be about anything in particular. They blend together into something slightly stream-of-consciousness and intriguing. Sometimes the lyrics make it sound like Rodriguez is an amateur, but it works. This Conspiracy feels real and more DIY than any indie staple I’ve heard lately.

The album is sad and endearing. It’s exhausting and heavy. It’s brilliant, and there’s a perfect word to describe it, but it’s escaping me, like the album’s theme. It moves subtly and steadily along towards the next desperately breathed epic. I can imagine myself listening to it while staring at the ceiling and wondering where my life’s going to go next. It’s a snapshot of Eldridge Rodriguez’ insides, full of melancholy and optimism; he probably wrote it while staring at the ceiling and wondering where his life’s going to go next.