Jason and Adam Bodnar formed The Freezing Scene in their parent’s basement before coming to the forefront of the US Midwest indie-rock scene.
Reminiscent of early new wave from the late 70’s and early 80’s, featuring duelling vocals from Jason and Adam, who sound like a bottled rainstorm, When Two is a Crowd has the rawness of punk blended with the icy sheen of electronica.
While The Freezing Scene may leave many listeners out in the cold, their under-produced sound warms with repeated listening.
The Human Suggestion Box
Many of the tracks on the album draw dark curtains. “The Human Suggestion Box”, however, loses some of the icy electronics of opening track “Stand, Sit, Kneel”, substituting it for bouncy, almost carnival-like organs.
Adding strings on “Playing Ball” gives another layer to their sound, and softens up the hard chill of the other purely electronic tracks on the album. Despite the up-tempo beat of this track, the Bodnar brothers still sound like they’re fighting deep depression when they mournfully sing lyrics such as “Forget what you inspire, you’re living to retire”.
“Second Tour of Duty” shows the band at their best. Electrifying effects, vocal dubs used to perfection and percussion that drives the track forward. One of the highlights from When Two is a Crowd, the purely instrumental track allows the music to stand alone without any noise.
Inspired by Real Events
“Inspired by Real Events”, a darker synth-driven track proves another highlight on the album despite being more sombre and less gritty. Reminiscent of early Depeche Mode, the track could have used a better backing production, but taken as is, the track haunts and stands out as one of the best cuts.
Playing “Pyramid Scheme” causes a double take. The synths swing back to 1986 and sound like a throwaway from a Stacey Q studio session. Mixed with a punky vocal, harsher lyrics and heavy cymbals, the tracks takes a fascinating ride – like a sugar rush after Halloween.
Title cut “When Two is a Crowd” finds the band getting the experimentation out of their systems and settling down to perform some serious dark synth-based music. The haunting vocal creeps in under the radar, barely noticeable at first, then spins into a darker Howard Jones sounding track of foreboding and damaged love. “I’d be somewhere else if only I’d known…together out of routine….when you talk you scream,” the Bodnars sing.
When Two is a Crowd Final Notes
The Freezing Scene has a dark synth sound that holds its own. Listening to this album gives the impression of knowing a band before they become mainstream stars, making the whole experience more intimate.
While not perfectly executed, When Two is a Crowd shows promising signs of a band that could emerge into a leading force of indie –electronica.
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