You may not be certain of much in this life, but by the end of the first track of Safety First's ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ, the following thought is more than likely to occur to you: "I'll bet the nuts off a donkey that there will be handclaps on this album." Perhaps the jaunty, simplistic tune was an early clue, the preadolescent vocals, or the humorous overlaying "bitty bitty boop bop bops." First this callow voice insists, "We're taking over and you know it," and shortly thereafter reveals his plan for securing global respect, which is to let everyone into the band: "Bring your friends, too / they can join our crew." Safety First is the solo project of Berkeley's Pete Gidlund, formerly of the post-rock, apathetically-postured Til Seven Years Pass Over Him. Now here's a guy who's responded to indie cynicism in a peculiar way: psychological regression. From the title to the nursery-ditty melodies and cornball lyrics to the various neat-o '80s synth sounds (incidentally the decade in which Gidlund grew up), the conceit is clear. This is a man who probably isn't above using the term "pee-pees" in daily conversation. That's not to say that the songs are immaturely written or involve childish subject matter. Though not terribly intricate, the six short tracks are mellifluous, danceable, and tender, with traces of Weezer, the Shins and the Moldy Peaches. Most address the woes of hopeless love. "I grieve over the kisses you've stolen from me / You know I'd give them for free," Gidlund laments in "Jusswanna." His voice, which sounds like the Shins' James Mercer when soft and Offspring's Dexter Holland when loud, also incorporates Rivers Cuomo's subtle verbal slur and cracking voice at times. ABC...'s songs generally sound very similar to each other. Safety First also has an infrequent but vexing inclination towards ceaseless repetition of a single word or phrase in a tauntingly disharmonious tone one might employ to annoy a sibling. Regardless, Safety First is sprightly, charismatic, and devoid of the unpalatable hipster-ish qualities of other emerging dance-indie talents.
