Mynabirds Fall Short with "Generals"

Critics often herald a band’s sophomore effort.

It’s the album when groups move closer to finding their definitive “sound.” They take risks, they break new ground, and fresh from the heels of constant touring, they’re tighter and more polished.

With the release of their second album, “Generals,” on Tuesday, the Omaha-based collective Mynabirds have taken a step backward.

Led by singer-songwriter Laura Burhenn, the Mynabirds were met with critical acclaim two years ago with the release of “What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood.” That album is a folky, soulful collection of Burhenn-penned pop tunes, and although there are obvious hints of 60s and 70s nostalgia in the vocal and guitar lines, the songs allude to the band’s influences rather than copy them.

With a stark change in production, “Generals” is anything but adventurous. In songs such as “Karma Debt,” “Radiator Sister” and “Wolf Mother,” the band uses double-tracked vocals, echo-laden guitar riffs and hand claps. There is a looming, dark atmospheric quality to the entire album, leaving few gaps. And whereas Burhenn’s voice retained a plaintive, breathy quality on the band’s debut, that is gone on “Generals.”

The effect is that the overproduction of “Generals” glosses over any trace of the vulnerability that made the debut album so breathtaking. Rather than take a bold step forward, the band has played into the formulaic style that now defines indie rock.

The shift is reminiscent of the stylistic change employed by bands such as the Black Keys and Kings of Leon as of late. That’s not to say the songs are horrible; they're not bad.

But as fans of the Black Keys and Kings of Leon have discovered, there’s a price to pay when you play to the mainstream, even when it’s the indie mainstream, itself a seemingly difficult term to define. Much as alternative rock in the 90s became easily imitable and formulaic, so too is the “indie” sound.

And so ultimately the Mynabirds’ commercial success or lack thereof with “Generals” will likely determine whether their foray into indie mainstream signals a permanent stylistic change or something altogether more ephemeral.

One thing’s certain. “Generals” lacks the soul to really connect the listener to songstress.