The Posies are a rare nugget indeed – a reasonably purebred power pop band. Sure, they flirted with thick grungy guitars in the nineties, but who didn’t, and given the genre’s innate tendency to crossbreed with anything it can get its paws on the band makes for one of the least tainted exemplars of the style since “My Sharona”. In fact, it was likely this purity of power pop spirit that led to the core of The Posies being invited into the fold of Big Star once the legendary forefather act reunited. Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow subsequently became involved with too many musical productions to count, but still kept their original act going, their quality-oriented release ethic landing them a place in the prestigious pantheon of ridiculously consistent bands.
Solid States sees The Posies undergoing a subtle metamorphosis to catch up with the times. A trailblazing fan-involvement campaign was set up, bold declarations of a drastic sound update were made, and the first single’s lyrics were distinctly topical. The good news is that the band makes it out safe from these dangerous waters of change. The promised style alteration turns out to be the involvement of electronics, albeit a relatively subtle one. Synths are audible all the way through the album, mostly sitting in the back and enhancing the atmosphere. A handful of songs where they play a more prominent role show up later in the track list (“The Definition”), but even there the melodies stay true to The Posies’ ethos. Guitars still drive the proceedings, as they always have and likely always will.
The bulk of the record serves up a relaxed musical atmosphere, even when the lyrics are brimming with energy. “We R Power!” is anything but power, and “Squirrel vs Snake” may well be the most tranquil song ever recorded featuring mentions of government espionage. The handful of moments where the music allows itself to veer away from this mellow limbo make for the highlights of the disc – “Scattered” is easily the best track on here, carried by a piercing arrangement that highlights the sourness midway through the verse, and later on featuring the most delightful interaction of Jon Auer’s fried fuzz with the newly augmented orchestration. “The Sound of Clouds” is bleak from the very first piano phrase and magnificently leads to a slightly Corgan’esque climax.
If anything, this tranquillity serves as the disc’s downfall – it’s all exquisitely crafted and pleasant to listen to, but the commitment to the laid-back atmosphere leads to very few moments actually sticking with you. Solid States is the sort of album that one listens to, enjoys, and then forgets about for a prolonged period of time because there’s nothing that makes you want to come back in spite of the sturdiness of the offering. The Posies have always had an innate knack for crafting memorable songs, but said songs had to be forcefully wrangled out of the band by their label. Now that they’re not under Geffen’s wing anymore, this isn’t happening anymore. “Unlikely Places” is an undeniably good song, but not the sort that will have you coming back to the album like something of the calibre of “Golden Blunders” or “Dream All Day” would.
