Sailor’s Warning
Label: Clairecords
Media: CD
Format: Album
WorkNameSort: Sailor’s Warning
On its second full-length — a posthumous release as the band members have parted ways — Orlando’s Con Dolore stripped down its approach to make a more uplifting “pop” record. But the result sounds more like outtakes to its debut, This Sad Movie, than a batch of new songs. Kristy Moss’ beautiful, soaring, though reverb-heavy (read: ethereal) vocals are still there, floating atop electronic and analog noodling, such as “Your Ways,” but there is nothing new or striking — no progression or risk. The dark, flourishing soundscapes on Movie are rehashed via Ed Ballinger and Wes Snowden’s ProTools chicanery. And though this collection is meant to be more light-hearted, it comes off as half-assed. For example, the intro consists of the first synth chord of the second song droned on for 42 seconds. Album intros can be arty or whatever, but there’s no excuse for “Intermission,” a song (if you can call it that) that consists of two guitar chords and Ballinger’s repeated ad nauseam verse of “sit back baby and have yourself a drink.” Con Dolore, at best, treads water on Sailor’s Warning, when they were capable of so much more.
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2003.