Crater Lake - Rogue Valley

This is a band that I found out via FrostClick, and as a part of my this for this month each Monday-Thursday will be a free download music, with the exception of anniversaries of albums, and Friday-Sunday will be music you have to purchase. This is by a band that has released 4 releases in the course of a year, this being the first (Hence the pale coloured ''I'' in the bottom right corner). No matter how this review turns out I will hope fully be reviewing their other 3 albums. Based off the album covers this seems like it's either a concept and each album is like a volume of it, or they just like using the same album covers. But based on the names of the other albums I could very easily see it being an intentional "Läther" type of thing. By that I mean it is the same album, just split into different releases, but these guys might of done a big quadruple album but released it separately into 4 albums. If so that makes sense these guys released their debut with "Crater Lake" and a debut album with 40+ songs (figure about 10-12 songs per average album) to take at once, especially if it is your first listen to a new band. I ultimately had to listen to this thing twice because I didn't think it was amazing but I could tell that 2 times through wouldn't be that bad. But you'll see why I could only do it once.

1. The Warming Moon: This song has an upbeat country type of feel to it. I think this song is ok it is in no way smazing but its ok. The vibe I get from this song hopefully does not foreshadow the rest of the album. If do then this wont be an amazing album. I think that the acoustic guitar in the back sounds cool. The thing is that "I've heard this before". 
2. Red River of the North: This song kind of reminds me of something Fleet Foxes-Esq but better quality recording. And also a little bit of These Animals, which self titled Ep I reviewed earlier. (You can find it by either clicking on the FrostClick link on the side or the Ep link on the side, or 2011 link). This isn't really anything that amazing so far. I have heard clips of a band called Fun. (there is a period in their name). And that sounds like something that would be on that album.
3. English Ivy: This song reminds me of a better quality High and Dry by the band Radiohead. I could see the being on 1995's The Bends, if they went back and rerecorded the songs for like a rerelease or something.
4. I-5 Love Affair: this song kinda of reminds me of the title track off Arcade Fire's 2010 The Suburbs. Just more of an acoustic version of this.
5. Hummingbird: when I first saw this song I thought of Neutral Milk Hotel. This could be a cover. I know they didn't write or record this song but that's what I think of. This is an ok son
6. Crater Lake: this reminds me of Coldplay. Espicslly the guitar and the vocals. And also Christmas music I'd hear at church. I'm not huge on Christmas music.c
7. Rope Swing Over Rogue Valley: this sounds like it it would be a song that I like. It just doesn't deliver enough or me to like it. It sounds like the rest of the songs I me.
8. Ursa Minor: this song is el samo
9. The Occidental Hotel: this is pretty much on the same boat as all the other songs.
10. The Planting Moon: I really have lost all interest in this album
11. Slack Water: why must there be more
12. El-Ay: I can honestly say that I spaced out at this song.

Overall I see this album as a 3/10. I think that I was expecting more out of it. It reminds me to much of Arcade Fire, Radiohead both of which I think are ok bands. I really like some indie music. The thing tough is that some indie bands sound too much alike. You can tell that this could be frustrating. This album is the kind of novelty music that I don't like.