CD Review: Two Weeks & Holidays

Two Weeks & Holidays is a nod to nostalgia for those who grew up listening to the psychedelic sounds of The Beatles, the political messages of artists like Bob Dylan and the jangle pop of the '60s. The question is, should bands like Fluoxetine be recreating that sound or should the music remain on classic rock stations and dusty shelves of collectors?

While Fluoxetine's influences are crystal clear to a casual listener, they have their own message to share with the world. It isn't a blanket positive statement or negative either, but the album seems to be, in a way, a cautionary tale.

Some tracks left me feeling cheated because they sound so much like those bands who inspired Fluoxetine, but other familiar tunes were welcome.

"Northwestern Squall Line" sounds as if the band were channeling The Eagles, but the theme of love and craziness keeps the song lighthearted. It's a nice distraction from songs like "Bathers Swim" that just make you feel guilty for using aerosol hairspray in 1986 (the song is about pollution). And if you want a happy, drive-with-the-top-down pop song, check out "I Think It's Gonna Rain".

Then there was the song that drove me a little insane. "A Child Sits in a Room" is so incredibly repetitive it may be possible to hypnotize someone with this track.

Fluoxetine makes some very palatable music with clever lyrics and lead singer Ryan Morris has this pleasant voice that sounds like a cross between a coherent Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, but I hope to hear something more unique on their next album. A few of these songs already made it onto my mp3 player though.

Best song: Northwestern Squall Line / I Think It's Gonna Rain

Worst song: A Child Sits in a Room

 3 stars out of 5

 Amy Nichol Smith is a freelance writer for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4420.