This is a review that has escaped me for quite a while now. While I have enjoyed Be He Me it has not been to the extent of much of the indie rock world. Raleigh, NC’s Annuals are essentially a collective but at the center of the band is singer/songwriter Adam Baker. He is the mastermind and voice of Annuals. It is for good reason as Baker’s talent is unmistakable and he makes his mark all over Be He Me.
Probably the most appropriate comparison to Annuals is another collective, Broken Social Scene. Annuals are just as wildly eclectic and ambitious in their songwriting. Although they are not quite at the level of BSS, one can certainly see a possibility for that in the future. The band’s songwriting and composition skills should certainly be commended. Be He Me is as diverse a listen as you will here in indie rock. Baker’s vocals recall Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst on more than several occasions. His vocals mixed with the band’s imaginative musical backdrops make for some truly engaging moments on Be He Me.
Be He Me is certainly an engrossing listen. The promise of future greatness from the band is certainly high. All components are in place for that to happen. But, something still seems a bit lacking for me. I still can not shake that feeling that Annuals are in a little over their head in the almighty hype department. So, no, I am not quite ready to annoint Annuals just yet. It seems I may be the only one who feels that way though.
RIYL: Bright Eyes, Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire
Listen:
This is a really cool album that I too had a difficult time reviewing. I think I’ll be playing this though for a while.