Localized Boulder Acoustic Society

Boulder Acoustic Society spared no expense for its latest release, Punchline. The album comes packaged in an elaborate kit with pop-up glasses and a set of dual-sided inserts with three-dimensional pics of the band, like a View-Master. It's so elaborate, in fact, that it takes a bit of searching to find the actual disc. When the CD is finally released from its origami sleeve, it's anticlimactic. That's a fitting descriptor of the  album as a whole: slick packaging with an ultimately disappointing core.

From its Zydeco-influenced opening track through the smoky, jazzy middle, and into its Celtic and folk closers, Punchline plays like a set of well-produced DeVotchKa B-sides. True to its name, Boulder Acoustic Society makes a small array of instruments sound like a mini-orchestra, largely thanks to the adaptability of the instruments themselves.

But incredibly adept musicianship and a high recording quality are ultimately hindered by what floats on top and stands out the most: the lyrics. From the beginning, the words sound forced, both in lyrical rhythm and word choice. In "We Tried," vocalist Aaron Keim sings, “This guy over there's supposed to be my friend / but I'm scared of how all this is gonna end,” a line that would make any middle-school English teacher cringe. Without any details—what guy? Why is he scared? What's ending?—the song is reduced to a vague murk.

“We Tried” sets the trend for the rest of Punchline. On “Give It Away,” Keim sings, “You’re a real filibuster, I said you’re busting my fill / of people’s hearty handshakes and people’s good will.” What does that mean? It’s unclear how the word “filibuster” makes any sense in context; it sounds as if Boulder Acoustic Society was just trying to work an old-fashioned word into the song. “Take My Hand,” a tender piano ballad that would be the perfect showcase for some vulnerable emotions and pointed, specific lyrical details instead wades through shallow lyrics like “But with your hope I’ll be strong / take my hand and we’ll walk on.” Lyrics light on depth and originality but heavy on cliché are scattered throughout Punchline, ultimately bringing it down. It’s a shame, because Boulder Acoustic Society spent hefty cash on such a pretty package.

A.V. Club Grade: C