 by Jennifer Whigham
You won’t find nicer guys in Minneapolis, which in some rock circles would be a reputation-killer. This isn’t the case for Reticence, a mellow-rock trio from Arden Hills, who combine hearty down-to-earthness with sounds influenced by everyone from Pedro the Lion (laments about media) to Edgar Allen Poe (four people die within the course of the album—lyrically, of course).
Download an mp3 of Reticenc's song “Competition Drives.”
 The
three members (lead singer Jesse Norell; bassist Kristof Marden; drummer Kyle
Bonderson) are all happily married, gainfully employed at respectable day-jobs
and ready to reinvent the put-upon rockstar cliché. Their forthcoming
album, ReMedial, has a smooth, easy feel with flashes of crunchy guitar
breaks and syncopated rhythms, a sound that reflects their urge to create something
that reaches out to those who don’t necessarily have an expressive platform.
The noble subject matters (media corruption, fame’s ability to jade and
disillusion, a woman escaping her abusive father) and Norell’s sober farmboy
vocals bring to mind a trio of earnest, plaid-shirted men—the kind who
never forget a grandma’s birthday and always take the smallest piece of
cake. Light-haired, with a quick smile, Norell is an articulate, soft-spoken
everyman, confident in his love for music. “When I first started,”
he muses, “I thought maybe people would like me better if I spiked my
hair or something.” He laughs. “I didn’t think people would
like me as I am. Then I thought—if they dig the music, then that’s
all that really matters.”
Recorded at drummer Bonderson’s Velvet Brick studio in River Falls, Wisc.,
much of the album focuses on the menace of competition and celebrity.  In
a dangerous, sharp-guitar tune called “Competition Drives,” the
lyrics warn against the culture of “bigger, better, faster, stronger.”
I’m always curious how bands reconcile the need for media with discontent
for its unsavory elements. Kristof Marden, the bright and politically-minded
bassist, explains, “I just think there are a lot of people willing to
capitalize on your creativity, so you have to choose things on your terms. The
whole vision of the media is to create something that’s interesting for
a little while, and as a musician, that’s incredibly dangerous. As a group,
you have to depend on yourselves. You can’t depend on outside forces.
Ethically, it’s not my goal to be dependent on anyone but the band to
make good music.”
Reticence adopts a humane approach to their tunes; their mission statement revolves
around family and friends, and healing internal strife and angst through a musical
medium. They’re not your stereotypical rockstars, with the 5 a.m. partying
and face-contorted angst. “We just enjoy playing music,” laughs
Marden. “We came to the realization that we don’t have to set ourselves
up to be failures. It’s a healthier outlook to cultivate a lifestyle you
like while you’re making the music. I mean, you’re going to be tortured
no matter what. The world tortures everyone. You can still focus on having an
OK life without giving up music. You shouldn’t try to make your life bad
so you can make better art.”
There’s a Jimmy Eat World-ish appeal to the album. It’s the type
you switch on after a shitty day at work or a fight with a best friend. The
complex guitar schemes tend to drive the record, lending not only a sense of
police-chase urgency, but also an impulse to leap up and hug the nearest soft
thing, a kind of razorblades-with-hope sound. It’s an intriguing mixture
of call-to-action and comfort. It’s familiar, yes, but familiar like this:
 Have you ever chatted up a girl in a bar who looked exactly like an ex-girlfriend,
but she was slightly more attractive and most certainly in possession of more
depth? It’s an easy album to listen to, with hints of dark threads in
the lyrics. “10,000 Lakes,” a minimalist ballad with a dazzling
female harmony and sweet melody, is the most interesting track on the album.
Many of the lyrics are deeply personal, an aspect which Norell explains by saying,
“Some people journal or whatever, but this is the way I document my turning
points. It’s the way I get over or around things.”
Despite all the glossy analogies, Reticence’s goal remains pure at heart.
They want to make good music and be happy while doing it. Marden explains, “We’re
not trying to come across as super-normal people or trying to do the anti-rockstar
thing. We’re just interested in making music on our own terms. You have
to work at something that’s more interesting to you than just becoming
a ‘rock star.’ The older I get, the more I realize the music is
what’s good. It’s not the scene or the bar; it’s trying to
make something you’re excited about and proud of. That’s the core
doctrine behind the music we make. You have to have a band that survives in
order to have a band that makes music. You have to keep it real.” ||
Reticence play the CD release show for ReMedial on Fri., Dec. 9 at
the Triple Rock Social Club with Cloud Cult and Bill Mike. 10 p.m. 21+ $7. 629
Cedar Ave., Mpls. 612-333-7499. An all ages show follows on Sat., Dec. 10 at
the Dinkytowner with Copy and The Glad Version. 6 p.m. $5. 412½ 14th
Ave. SE, Mpls. 612-362-0437.
For more information on the band, visit their official
site at ReticenceMusic.com.
Head on over to our mp3 page to download hundreds of
tunes, including Reticenc's song “Competition
Drives.”
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