The Gilligans: Snoring With An Accent

The Gilligans
Snoring With an Accent
Ear Theory
2007-02-13

An indie power-pop supergroup of sorts, The Gilligans feature guitarist/songwriter Todd Borsch (ex-The Ringles), bassist Bill Retoff, vocalist Dan McKenzie (ex-The Porcupines), and drummer Ed Pierce (ex-Billy Blastoff, and RMBP). The band plays an almost quaintly old-fashioned breed of power pop — think skinny ties, Rickenbacker guitars, and vintage amps — recalling early Cheap Trick, The Rubinoos, or the Smithereens without the guitar crunch. Though it doesn’t exactly break new ground, Snoring With an Accent certainly doesn’t wear out its welcome either, clocking in at a brisk thirty-one minutes. From the harmonica-accented opening track “But I Don’t Mind” to the Sergeant Pepper-esque album closer “Counting Trees”, the album shows a flair for melody and catchy guitar hooks, especially on the album’s standout track “The Girl in the Band”. Unfortunately, the production doesn’t really do the band’s arrangements justice: the guitars sound a bit tinny, and the vocals just aren’t assertive enough.

RATING 6 / 10