While it has of late become de de rigeur for American rock bands to start dropping influences slightly outside of the norm, the list that accompanies The Ataris’ latest foray is still one to raise eyebrows. You wouldn’t expect many bands from Indiana to have even heard of Swervedriver, Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine or Belle & Sebastian let alone declare them an inspiration alongside The Decemberists, Godspeed You Black Emperor! and Tom Waits.
Yet The Ataris have more history than most, having graduated from the mid-’90s US punk scene to achieve mainstream recognition with their fourth album, 2003’s So Long Astoria. Having worked so hard to get there, however, The Ataris have taken an abrupt u-turn. Gone is the major label deal, along with most of the members, and Welcome The Night sees them return as a seven-piece, complete with cello player and handling their own affairs.
The change suits them. The album is a far more ambitious affair than their past work, breaking them out of the teenage punk pop mould. Great use has been made of the possibilities of the extended line-up, so while the songs may not offer any startling revelations they at least sound like a band who are trying to do something. Unfortunately for them it comes at a time when others with a higher profile and marketing budget are heading down the same course, leading to the unavoidable conclusion that The Ataris will find it hard to escape from the My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy shadows.