By Stormy Knight,
Arts & Entertainment Editor

When I was handed a padded envelope containing a CD from Monkey Corner Records, I was anxious to open it.

Inside I found “Inconsequential Background Music (IBM),” a new album from Greensburg-based band Truth in Advertising.

According to the letter sent with the album, Truth In Advertising’s “sound is lo-fi, the attitude is hi-spirited and the music is just a hell of a lot of fun.”

Fred Betzner, Sean O’Donnell, Aaron Rolka, and Ryan Schwartz recorded, mixed, and mastered the album themselves in the Polish Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh last year. The band actually quit in 2004 after playing at small colleges and local clubs, but rejoined to finish IBM in 2005.

Their music is influenced by bands like the Violent Femmes, They Might Be Giants, Barenaked Ladies, and Phish. Truth in Advertising’s latest album contains music of all types, from “psychedelic fancy and rock-pop,” to “bazaar love and more,” according to the album’s description. With songs like “Soccer Cat” and “That B-52s-Sounding Song,” I couldn’t wait to sit down with a few of my friends and listen to the album.

My hope was to find more proof that great bands don’t have to be mainstream, as I’ve discovered many times before with bands like Guster, Shindig, and Punchline.
The first track broke down and I instantly started laughing at the sound of the singer’s voice.

He sounded exactly like Steven Page of Barenaked Ladies, with the same speak-sing style as R.E.M.’s lead vocalist, Mike Stipe, only clearer.

The band has a lot of talent, especially the bassist, in my opinion. The music is catchy, and folk-like, and it definitely inspired me to do some mellow dancing.
While listening to the album, I just couldn’t get past the singer’s voice. I think it detracted from the actual music; it was too raw for my taste.

The high-pitched background vocals in some of the songs made the music sound too humorous, like it was something Adam Sandler would sing on Saturday Night Live back in his heyday. I continued to laugh at the singers voice, but the music itself was truly captivating, innovative, and feel-good.

The lyrics were very original and whimsical, as the title of the first track “Field of Whimsy” hints. IBM certainly isn’t going to be one of my new favorite albums, but I am definitely going to have to check out Truth in Advertising live, because I’ve learned from much concert-hopping that live music is where true talent reveals itself.

The songs are memorable and fresh. After listening to IBM, I found myself singing the chorus to, “F.Y.I. Love you.” So despite the vocals, Truth in Advertising certainly left an impression on me.

My biggest problem was their lack of seriousness. I know the style of music they are striving for is anything but serious, but is anybody going to buy an album with a song that mentions a love for gerbils? If the band members themselves do not take their songs a little more seriously, how are listeners supposed to regard them as a real band, and not just a joke?

Maybe the fan base for quirky music is bigger than I can imagine. Two words: Beastie Boys.

Their lyrics are absolutely ridiculous, but look how far they’ve come in their career. The world loves them for their outlandishness, perhaps Truth in Advertising will someday achieve that love as well.

“Inconsequential Background Music” is available at local CD Warehouse stores, as well as other stores in Pittsburgh. For more information, visit their Web site at www.monkeycorner.net/truthinadvertising.
Although the music wasn’t completely my style, Truth in Advertising undoubtedly has a bright future, and their music might just be what you’ve been craving.

You can check out some of their songs free at www.cdbaby.com/cd/truthinadvertising. I give “Inconsequential Background Music” an “A” for effort and originality, but because of the vocals, I give the album a “C” overall.

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Categories: A&E | SKnight