+/-

Let's Build a Fire (Absolutely Kosher)

By Matt Siblo
Published: January 9th, 2007 | 8:49pm

Last we heard from +/- was back in 2003 with You Are Here, a pleasant and twitchy electro-pop album that saw them slightly ahead of their contemporaries. Since then, +/- has gained the smarts to evolve into a melodic, multi-faced pop band leaving its synthesizers (mostly) behind. Truth be told, it was a smart move.
Let’s Build a Fire opens with the cinematic titular track, fusing woozy horns and a crackling phonograph in order to create a nostalgic yet thoroughly unique introduction. If ever there was a sign that +/- has changed, this was it.

The balladry comes across heavily on Let’s Build a Fire (“The Important Thing Is to Love,” “For You”), dipping its toes into sweeping WB drama-like territory. Like contemporaries such as Rogue Wave and Minus the Bear, +/- are able to create sweeping choruses without feeling like its pandering to the listener. But be warned, things can get awful pretty. “Summer Dress 2 (Iodine)” and “For You” are oozing with nice guy earnestness so if you’re not ready for weepy strings and pianos you’re likely to be blindsided.

+/- hasn’t quite shaken all the Gibbard out of their system just yet, though. “Steal the Blueprints” fuses both Death Cab’s saccharine melodies with the bleeps and bloops that the Postal Service has made ubiquitous in the past three years. Luckily, +/- has the smarts to keep the homage short and sweet, even if they do retain Pro-Tools bragging rights.