Conner - Hello Graphic Missile

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 22 / 10 / 2006

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The press release comparing this Kansas four piece to the likes of 70’s Rolling Stones ( someone obviously wasn’t listening ) the Smiths and Iggy Pop doesn’t actually do the band any favours. A fairer comparison for Conner would be more contemporary bands like Franz Ferdinand. And calling the sound they make "garage rock" is more than a little unfair not to mention misleading. A quick listen to the instrumental ‘Toluene’ which is a dreamy soundscape so laid-back it invites the listener to close their eyes and float off somewhere is so far removed from garage rock it’s laughable. It’s a stunning example of how diverse this band is and a shame that the press people at Sonic Boom Recordings, their record label, are going to scare off more people than they attract by using big names from the past to try to win Conner new followers. The impression that Conner is just another angular guitar band in an age when we really don’t need any more is fuelled further by the opening songs on this 13 track CD. What they do they do extremely well, and the feeling that, for the most part, it’s all been heard before strangely diminishes with repeated listening. There are a few twists and turns that their contemporaries lack that make their well-constructed songs bear repeated plays. And if the likes of the Strokes and Franz Ferdinand can sell albums there is absolutely no reason why Conner can’t do the same. The rhythm section is tight and both lead singer James Duft and Tom Wagner play the guitar extremely well. Duft’s vocals take a while to get used to, and are not to everyone’s taste, but, again, over time they get more appealing. But this really is an album of two halves, whether this was intentional or not is unclear but there is no denying that from track seven on the band take a different direction. Although that Talking Heads angular sound is still evident on said song, ‘Enough For You And Me’, the band seem to lighten up a little and actually sound more at home and less forced than on the preceding songs. It’s like Conner have stopped playing ‘Spot the Influence’ and come into their own. Duft’s vocals while still uniquely Duft also take on a different sound particularly on the aforementioned ‘Enough For You And Me’ which is an album highlight and is crying out to be picked as a single and played on the radio. ‘Up To You’ which follows the instrumental is another outstanding song, with twin riffing guitars picking out a strong melody. The album then just gets better and better, and although the band never stray far from a sound that recalls the more melodic side of punk’s later days ( apart from that outstanding instrumental ) it’s a sound that the band pull off much more convincingly that that displayed on the first half of the album. There’s obviously something happening here and Conner are a band to watch for sure; at some point it would be interesting to hear the sound of ‘Toluene’ expanded over a few more tracks, and the band show another side on the unlisted 14th song, a kind of hard rock meets psychedelia hybrid that ends up not that far removed from Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Oh, Well Part Two’ before fading out on backward tapes. I get the feeling there is a lot more to this band than they have displayed here. So if indie-based guitar rock is your thing then Conner is worthy of your time and money but start with the latter part of the album if you want to hear the band at their best.

Track Listing:-

1 Silent Film Score
2 Cold Feelings
3 Overflow
4 Floating On Error
5 Independent Women
6 For The Fourth Time
7 Enough For You And Me
8 Toluene
9 Up To You
10 I'm A Balloon
11 Window Shopping
12 Eyed Eyes Eye
13 She Tells No Lies

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