Statistics Often Lie

For The Fan Presents:

Statistics “Often Lie” (2005) Review

The sound of the underground was brewing some incredible music in the late 1990s and through the early half of the 2000s. Statistics was one of those bands that was producing some incredible recordings, and yet didn’t get the mainstream success that other bands seemed to get. On the Jade Tree label, they were able to create a lot of good music, and only now are people starting to realize it in many ways. For fans of indie, shoe gaze, and guitar driven rock music, this sits well with the rest of the collection. But for those that are looking at this genre for the first time, you’ll be astonished by what Statistics puts together on their 2005 release “Often Lie”. It’s a mix of 9 tracks that will go from the heights of independent rock to the lows of emo and indie.



With only 9 tracks and 31 minutes of music, you get hit with an incredible mix of rock music that is on par with Sonic Youth and Jimmy Eat World. In fact, the band finds themselves exploring sounds that would have garnered them incredible success in the mid 90s. Had this record come out alongside with Weezer’s blue album, we would be having a different conversation. This record is on par with that release, only less commercial and more introspective lyrical integrity. From the first track, “Final Broadcast” through the end track “10/22” you get the same powerhouse sound that made Sunny Day Real Estate such an iconic band in Seattle.

Statistics does something that other bands in the genre do, and that’s explode with distorted guitar work up front, melodic vocals and then pull back to a soft note that will completely change your perception of music. It’s not going to get you moving, it’s going to sit well with your French press coffee, and moments of euphoria after work. It’s droning, it’s melodic, it’s a mix of genres in the rock category that you don’t always see in the mainstream. The process is much on par with other indie rock records, and Jade Tree definitely had a good thing going with this band’s 2005 release.

Stand out tracks include the opener, as well as “Nobody Knows Your Name”, “No Promises”, “A Foreword”. The disc still rings solid after all these years and with 9 tracks, it trumps many of the releases that are getting spun on alternative rock radio today. It’s a shame that more people don’t know about this one, but perhaps today, many will learn.

Pros: Solid indie rock, college radio heaven

Cons: Too short

Download: HERE