Science Fiction Theater – Self-Titled

When a group goes and names themselves after a timeless pop culture reference that instills thoughts of awe, wonder, and discovery, they better have a product that matches that curious essence.   So when I ran across California’s Science Fiction Theater and took one look at the trippy, pseudo-art deco cover art, I thought I was in for quite a wild ride.  However, instead of the promise of an unpredictable journey I as greeted with the rather sad realization that I was simply listening to another predictable made-for-radio alternative group.

It’s not that Science Fiction Theater doesn’t hit all the right notes, but rather that they hit the same notes over and over.  In other words, their brand of 90’s alternative has all been done before.  The album starts off with “Gasoline,” instantly cementing the band’s sound as a combination of Jason Mraz, a less hard hitting Nickleback clone, and a combination of Dave Grohl side projects.  But unlike many of their influences they scale things back for a far more mellow, almost melancholy tone – “Candy Eyes” and “Hold” being extreme examples.  In many ways the band just sounds bored.  While indie artists like Death Cab For Cutie make the most of their plodding pace with unique vocals, exciting highs, and carefully calculated lows, Science Fiction Theater seems to stagnate around the same repetitive time signatures and tempos.  Each track just feels void of ambition and personality.

Although they hit miss the mark time and again, Science Fiction Theater at least aims for more unique offerings.  In fact, they seem to have put quite a bit of thought into their instrumentation.  Tracks like “Poison Apples” include a beloved harmonica intro, and others like “The Sheets and Me” plug an acoustic sound.  But somehow even these efforts still fall victim to a redundant tempo and song structure.  It’s as if the band simply takes the same basic elements, repackage them with a few different instruments, and recycles them time and again.

Come to think of it, vocalist Mike Jimenez might be at the heart of the problem.  His voice simply lacks that essential “oomph” required to elevate this brand of radio alternative to memory.

Try as I might, I just couldn’t connect with Science Fiction Theater.  It’s not that their debut is a particularly painful listen, but rather that it feels particularly mind numbing – offering at best a collection of inoffensive background music.