Frank Schweikhardt Delivers Some Indiana Essentials
Life But No More is a short, simple classic.
Frank Schweikhardt
Life But No More
Released on Nov 17, 2009
Coming a long way from his days back
with Away With Vega, Frank Schweikardt’s latest work is a definitive
taste of Midwestern indie rock. The latest release from Bloomington’s
own Crossroads Of American Records, Life But No More, delivers
a sound that has become synonymous with the area; many bands on the
label, as well as others from Central Indiana, are consistently producing
simple, yet elegant and relaxing indie rock.
With help from label-mates and friends Mike Adams and Tim Felton of husband&wife among others, Schweikardt’s low-key instrumentation and mellow vocal style makes this album easy to get hooked on. The mainly acoustic-driven album, while fairly slow, does feature some catchy mid-tempo tracks. “Twin Cities” and “Level Light,” being some of the more upbeat tracks on the album, provide a nice contrast to the album’s most delicate tracks like “Disclaim” and “K and the Kids.” Although not a lyrically heavy album (“Lisbon,” the album’s second track, only includes two short lines near the end), Life But No More does deliver some rather heavy lines strewn throughout the mix.
The album begins with “The Dead.” Starting out with some lo-fi acoustic work and light cymbal accompaniment, “The Dead” lingers on for about a minute before Frank’s singing and a mellow electric guitar are added to the mix. Religion is a common lyrical undertow throughout the album. “Break the bread, and drink the blood, of the Lord,” is the track’s resonating chorus; a theme which also resonates subtly in some of Life But No More’s later tracks.
“Silver and Gold” bring a nice
little perk to the moody mix of songs preceding it. A steady,
soothing guitar runs continuously with faint drumming to provide a simple
backdrop for the song and a well-concealed bass to round out the track
and create a fuller sound. Once again, Scheikhardt’s simple,
yet profound lyrics illuminate unrest beneath layers of warm, calm tones.
A personal favorite from the album, “Twin Cities,” is, as previously mentioned, one of the albums more upbeat songs. Near the beginning there are some very husband&wife-esque guitar parts. The tone is very similar to several of the tracks off their latest album, Dark Dark Woods, but thankfully it translates seamlessly into this track. Some soft organ can also be heard in the latter half of the song. Describing what I can only guess to be a story of lost love, Scheikhardt accomplishes the daunting task of creating extremely passionate music, without creating heavy, overbearing music.
“Disclaim” and “Claim” sets up a two-part piece with somber questions and haunting half-answers. “Disclaim” is void of vocals up until the last minute where he delivers the chilling question, “They don’t love you. Are you scared? Are you scared?” “Claim,” which follows directly afterwards, is more upbeat; however, his lyrical prognosis remains equally grime with lines like “There’s no a righteous bone in my body.” and “Am I fighting demons, or letting them in?“
Due to its innovative guitar work, as opposed to the repetitive, although adequate passages featured in other tracks, “Level Light” keeps things interesting. “Level Light” is also the lengthiest of the album’s ten songs, clocking in at just under five minutes. At just 39 minutes total, Life But No More is a straightforward indie record that with one quick listen is sure to impress.
High Point
“Twin Cities” is the albums most adventurous track. While still mellow in nature, its quicker pace and additional instruments make it the album’s clear-cut winner.
Low Point
I understand his approach to the album, but I could have opted for a bit of exhibition of some of the other instruments featured. With drums constant throughout, as well as the occasional additional guitar and organ, I would have liked to see them get a bit more use than simply adding extra mass to the primary guitar.
Posted by Andrew Scott on Nov 24, 2009 @ 7:00 am
