Malibu’s Simon Dawes spend the entirety of “Salute the Institution†name-checking rock heroes who came before— heroes like Lennon, Bowie and Jimmy Page. All the while, they’re throwing tounge-in-cheek jabs at an industry that increasingly abandons creativity and instead encourages artists to ape their forbearers in both style and sonics, because “it’s how you get paid.†The rest of their debut full length Carnivore contains scattered nods to the standard influences, but the judicious use of instrumentation smacks more of Spoon and early Walkmen, like the lead-off “Save Your Ticket†or “Got a Light,†in addition to the previously mentioned track. A well-tuned pop ear and a few instances of heading in the unexpected direction serve the band well, making Carnivore one that grows on you.
