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The Hidden Cameras
Awoo
(Arts & Crafts)
First Appeared in
The Music Box, January 2007, Volume 14, #1
Written by Melissa Stroh
Considering that The Hidden Cameras employs strippers and go-go dancers in
its live shows, it’s not surprising that the outfit has a reputation that
precedes it, and one rightfully would expect that the band’s crazy concert
experiences would translate into albums that were equally chaotic. That
assumption, however, would be wrong. In fact, The Hidden Cameras’ most recent
effort Awoo is a far cry from its misadventures on tour. Instead, the
endeavor is filled with laid back, mellow songs that speak of gay politics and
growing relationships.
Although Awoo is fairly fluid, it’s often hard to decipher what
exactly is happening. Distinct vocals are present, but what lead singer Joel
Gibb is saying is another story entirely. Some tracks are defiant political
statements, while others are meek, empty shells that fall short of being real
songs.
Awoo begins with the fast-paced Death of a Tone, which rambles for
two minutes before it fades into the annoyingly catchy title track. Gibb slips
in subtle hints about his sexuality while belting out laughable one-liners like,
"I’d rather wallow in the mud of my own imagination." Not helping matters is the
notion that songs are strung together in such an indistinct fashion that they
make the listener numb to any insight that Gibb might be providing. Because the
musical progression is so similar from tune to tune, it also is hard to
differentiate between what is meant to be humorous and what is supposed to be
taken seriously. This happens to be the major downfall of the endeavor.
After trying to spice up the monotony of Awoo with Learning the Lie’s
sad attempt at yodeling, The Hidden Cameras finally gains some traction around
the album’s midpoint. The dark and brooding Follow These Eyes is the
first example of a respectable, well-executed song. The string instruments —
which mix staccato plucking with fluid, full bowing — are beautiful; the lyrics
are insightful and romantic; and the tune itself is not as short as — and hence,
it is better developed than — many of the band’s other concoctions.
Without a doubt, Follow These Eyes is the highlight of Awoo,
and The Hidden Cameras wisely uses the tune as its template for much of the
effort’s latter half. This, in turn, gives the band an opportunity to shine,
both musically and lyrically. Unfortunately, it also is too little to late, and
consequently, The Hidden Cameras never succeeds in overcoming Awoo’s
sub-par introduction. 
Awoo is available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2007 The Music Box
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