The San Francisco 5 piece, Stomacher, sounds like they listen to a lot of Radiohead. The first CD under their new moniker (the band was formerly known as In Reverent Fear) plays like what could be a more commercial Radiohead record from a few years ago. Jarrod Taylor’s vocal style sounds like a more angsty Thom Yorke without being a complete rip off. His voice carries the songs with a slow and relaxed delivery, at times layering with itself to create a lush blanket of voices.Sentimental Education has a very diverse 10 songs, constantly varying in tempo and arrangement without making the songs feel out of place.
Stomacher sounds more at home with the slower more sparse songs on Sentimental Education. “The Devil” features a lush organ sound, twinkling electronics, and a bed of strings slowly brewing for three and a half minutes below the high and slow vocal. The album closer “Untitled/Dark Divider” has a consistent acoustic guitar rhythm and a catchy yet relaxing electric guitar melody. The song builds but never becomes overly epic, rather blurring itself into a murky mess, drowning Jarrod’s voice before returning again to its original form.
Sentimental Education may at times sounds a little too much like it’s influences but never the less is still impressive.
-Glenn Jackson
Stomacher play Bottom of the Hill Saturday, December 19th with Mata Leon and Halfway.