For Those Who Know
Record review
Reviewed by Darcie Stevens, Fri., July 1, 2005
For Those Who Know
(Christmas Mountains)
The closing scene of Lost in Translation: Bill Murray whispers into Scarlett Johansson's ear then drives off to the airport while the Jesus & Mary Chain croon "Just Like Honey." The perfect ending to a beautiful movie, the song drowning the emotion in a pool of fuzz. Newbie Austin quartet For Those Who Know isn't quite on par with the aforementioned Eighties icons, but they're getting there. Their eponymous debut EP rings lazily through textures and deep beats, each song adding to the loneliness with a touch of hope. Stephen Hablinski's fragile vox skims across the surface of a multilayered symphony of effects, akin to Thom Yorke's severity yet prettier. Opener "Competition" lacks the complexity exhibited on the rest of the album, but it's a simple, climactic exploration of heart. "Night at the Danceclub" begins the tumult that increases in the following tracks, clear riffs bouncing off rhythm, Hablinski barely decipherable yet cornerstone. "Hello" echoes fuzzed-out reverberation, adding to it a Walkmen dysphoria. The closing "Words Have Rhythm" wafts Sonic Youth tendencies, leaving only the clang of the hi-hat. With spot-on production added to FTWK's nostalgic songwriting, it won't be long until the boys are headlining Emo's outside stage.
