And This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

The range of instruments on the latest release from Subject Bias includes sudden breezes of cello, violin, harp, piano, organ, trumpet, trombone, saxophone and dobro. The diverse instrumentation adorns each track like sparkling tinsel, festooning the solid trunk of acoustic guitar and vocals from sole band member Kevin Ouellette. The result is 13 emotive songs constructed with as much care, precision and illustrative artistry as a stained glass window.

Released last fall, “And This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” is the Portland-based band’s third CD, following 2002’s “Average Potential” and 2005’s “It Takes One to Know One.” Ouellette wrote all the songs and lyrics on the new album and co-produced the CD with Terry Palmer. Recorded at Dizzyland Recording in Rochester, the 13 tracks average a concise three minutes in length.

With string embellishments on violin and cello, piano adornments played by Ouellette and tender backing vocals from bassist Katrina Adams, the CD’s first song, “Slightest Twist,” sets a sweet melodic tone for the remainder of the disc. Ouellette’s singing is vaguely redolent of Elliott Smith, but the heightened drama evoked by the instruments lends the song mounting force, somewhat reminiscent of Smashing Pumpkins’ “Disarm.”

The transition into the following track, “North Carolina,” represents a subtle change of gears. Although the song’s pace is more or less the same as “Twist,” the percussion adds a swinging beat, augmented by sudden pauses and an unexpected trumpet solo. “It Starts” continues the trend, preserving the slowness and melancholy of the first two songs while offering a clearly different sound. The third track also introduces singer Siiri Soucy, who contributes soft, harmonious backing vocals to several tunes.

Ouellette’s lyrics, for the most part, are gloomy and at times almost desperate. Healthy doses of scorn and cynicism seep into personal accounts of splintered relationships and the complexities of love. “And Jesus Christ himself must be / So God damn impressed / Knowing you can see his light / Clearer than the rest,” he sings in “Hate the Sinner,” which later includes an excerpt from the prayer “Our Father.” The following song, “Like Lovers Do,” demonstrates equal contempt for a significant other. “You say, ‘Everything is fair in love and war’ / And you’re so cliché and you’re such a bore / Even while I leave you lying on the floor,” the singer growls.

Ouellette’s rich voice is an anchor of the CD, and his sometimes sturdy, sometimes tremulous singing is central to the listening experience. While he often croons with a breathy intimacy, he occasionally airs out his lungs, particularly in “Like Lovers Do,” during which he roars the closing lyrics with enough pent fury to turn a punk rocker green. The transitions between soothing folk vocals and angst-ridden wailing call to mind Okkervil River’s Will Sheff.

But the CD’s predominant mood is one of murky, soft-core shadows­, which will leave some listeners feeling a bit restless if they’re looking for something upbeat. Ouellette self-consciously references his glum leanings in “More Like You,” which includes the line, “You say that all my songs are just depressing as hell / And I should get off the cross, get over myself / Well I don’t think I care.” Fair enough.

The cover art for “And This is Why” depicts a forlorn-looking figure building a sand castle as approaching waves threaten to drown his efforts. The images on the sleeve, created by Kate Harper, seem to capture the spirit of the music within. The band’s Web site indicates that Ouellette prides himself on being honest, and his honest musings reflect grim realities regarding love and relationships.

In spite of the album’s despondency, the latest from Subject Bias is sure to find a receptive audience on the Seacoast, where gloom-rock prevails in wide circles. Ouellette’s talents as singer-songwriter are not to be denied, and the collage of instrumentalists he recruited for the new CD produce a delicate tower of sound. Bias makes regular appearances in the area, having recently played at the Blue Mermaid on June 15, and joining Dan Blakeslee at the Press Room the following night. To find upcoming tour dates or to purchase the CD, visit www.subjectbias.com or www.myspace.com/subjectbias.