On the subject of imitation

Rockers from across the pond (Manchester to be specific), Autocamper, the quartet comprised of Jack Harkins, Niamh Ourtil, Harry Williams and Arthur Junior Robinson, make music for, “a new generation of the melody hungry and overstimulated,” according to AllMusic and #BrandNew. Taking cues from the likes of The Vaselines, Belle and Sebastian and The Pastels, the group aims to provide a fresh perspective on melancholic jangle pop (via AllMusic). What Do You Do All Day?, their first full-length album, is thoroughly enjoyable, though perhaps a bit too reminiscent of the works that influenced it.   

Undoubtedly, What Do You Do All Day? is great. It is both easy and fun to listen to, well-produced, excellent vocally (with a lovely, well-balanced rotation between Harkins, Ourtil, and Robinson) and perfect for the sun-filled days we’re living in. It’s the soundtrack you want for long days on the road, pleasant mornings on the trails and simple romanticizing on a rainy day. It is unclear, however, how much of its likeability is related to the music itself and how much is related to the music being alluded to. For example, so much of “Again,” the lead single for the project and one of its most popular offerings, lives already in the chords and melancholy of “Son of a Gun” by The Vaselines. “Map Like a Leaf” calls fondly to “Check My Heart” by the Pastels. Even before the music, certain descriptions of the band raise alarm: “Like a Northern kitchen sink rendering of The Vaselines’ call and response motif, vocal duties are shared by Jack Harkins and Niamh Purtill – their wide-eyed reflections on unrequited romances, bedroom tiffs and hungover misdemeanors effortlessly retrofits the jangle pop sounds of the ‘80s without the C86 revisionism; think Sarah Records-era The Wake fused with the shambling, melodic impulse of McCarthy and The Close Lobsters, but with one foot always firmly in the present ”(via #BrandNew). When not even a line of a biography can pass without referencing an older, influential act or movement, at what point does inspiration become simple imitation and beg originality? And though there is a certain genius to an artist who can re-imagine what already exists to create something novel and interesting (i.e., as demonstrated on Renaissance and Cowboy Carter by Beyonce through songs like “Alien Superstar,” “Summer Renaissance,” “Ya Ya” and “Daughter,” amongst others), not enough of a unique Autocamper flavor or perspective is revealed at large on the album to conclude that is what is being done on What Do You Do All Day? We do see hints of a freshness, however, in songs like “Linnean” and “Proper,” which, notedly, lean into a more punk/rock sound and make the case for a promising future. 

In sum, despite being an excellent project, What Do You Do All Day? lacks a necessary distance and distinctness from the predecessors that influenced its being. However, certain moments of punk/rock spunk and the overall quality of the project imply an exciting future for Autocamper.