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Limbeck

Hi, Everything's Great (2003)
Doghouse Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Scott
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 20th 2003

Limbeck is best known to me as the Garage Monkeys, the fictional band that was in an early commercial for iMacs a number of years ago. The fictional group was playing a catchy pop song called "She's Online," and I spent ages trying to track down the band's CD, before being told they weren't real.

Well, sort of. That band was actually Limbeck, an indie-pop band from California. I logged the band in the back of my mind until earlier this year, when I saw a copy of the band's last album, "This Chapter Is Called Titles," sitting in my college's radio station. I snagged it, marvelled at the gorgeous packaging, and promptly ejected the CD from my stereo as the band had seemingly turned into run-of-the-mill emo quartet. It wasn't bad, but it surely wasn't what I was looking for.

Then this album showed up in my mailbox the other day, and this time, I've been marvelling at their stunning turnaround in musicianship.

The band has gone through some sort of morph into an alt-country act almost, with twangy guitars, straight-ahead drumming, and bluesy riffs scattered throughout the album's 12 tracks. I hear a lot of the band's former labelmates, the now-defunct Chamberlain, in these songs [ironic that Chamberlain went through an even more drastic musical change between their albums]. The instrumentation is also lush without being overbearing, with banjo licks and slide guitar in all the right places.

The group's lyrics are those of wistfullness and longing, but are sung without being whiny or annoying. These songs tell a story of a band on the road, and it's a fascinating tale that unwinds over the 37 minutes the album runs. The simplicity of the songs [reminiscent of, say, Rhett Miller/Old 97s] makes them all the more lovable.

In short, this album is completely not what I expected from Limbeck, and I couldn't be happier.

MP3s
Albatross and Ivy
Julia
I Wrote This Down
Brand New Orange

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fictionaliceland (September 13, 2004)

I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't like this cd.

Anonymous (July 5, 2003)

yeah, their "connection" ep is pretty crappy, but they're the first to admit that.. haha. but the new record is AMAZING. definitely soundtrack to the summer, and then some!

Anonymous (June 25, 2003)

I've only heard Limbeck through that split they did with Homegrown, called Connections.

What a boring band. But this sounds interesting, I may have to check it out.

Anonymous (June 22, 2003)

wow scottie most people have to wait weeks to have crap reviews posted. You get to share new ones every week!

Anonymous (June 21, 2003)

my dad listens to old 97's. strange how its getting popular in "the scene".

tenderbransonx (June 21, 2003)

The Old 97's annoy me too. Or maybe its being told things like: "You don't listen the Old 97's? Whats wrong with you?"
-Steven.
review the world www.murdertheturtle.com

lieutenant (June 21, 2003)

The only song I have ever heard by this band was a Backstreet Boys cover, a few or couple of years ago. I have made my judgement, despite any quality of music they may or may not have today.

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

tomorrow night at chain reaction. heelll yeah

limbeck is awesome, musically [ bought the album today and have been listening to it for four hours. ] and as people. hilarious crazy people. especially matt and patrick.

oh.. and the guy that does piano and organ on the album is chris cron, the singer of the new hopeless records band, Melee. another orange county favorite. :)

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

i listened to the mp3s and ran out of my house to buy the cd right away. Limbeck is the hardest band to get a hold of. They never tour the east coast, and their albums are very very poorly distributed. Thats sad cuz they're such an easy band to enjoy. Ok this album sounds pretty much just like The Get Up Kids "On A Wire", but so what? I fucking loved On A Wire, and i fucking love this.

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

I'd listen to this driving down Alabama. But other than that...

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

july 11, fireside bowl. i'm there

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

some of the nicest guys to pick up an instrument.

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

huh, limbeck sounding like the old 97's. interesting indeed. ill have to check this out.

iowanick (June 20, 2003)

these guys are cool and super nice. i dig their pop rock/country feel. it's amazing what happens when bands are super nice, and they are them.

Anonymous (June 20, 2003)

Yeeeeeeeeeah