Earlimart - Treble And Tremble (2004)

Earlimart's later work has been worlds away from its early efforts, and with Treble & Tremble, songwriter Aaron Espinoza seems to find a comfortable ground for which he was always looking. Somewhere between the intriguing introspection of Elliott Smith and the lush indie pop of Grandaddy (the record was co-produced by the latter's Jim Fairchild), Earlimart continues on the same path as Everyone Down Here. Reflecting his troublesome times leading up to the album (death of a friend, breakup with girlfriend), his matured writing gives way to loss and love ("Unintentional Tape Manipulations"), held in a cradle of warm keyboard and acoustic guitar. Some moments are upbeat indie pop ("The Hidden Track" and "Sounds"), but most of this is dreamy despite its slightly gloomy textures. A few interludes, like "808 Crickets," tie it all together, and you forget that Earlimart was ever compared to the Pixies.