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CD Review: From cabin in foothills, band plays indie-rock tunes of isolation, hope

'Ratpig' is a six-song record by a Portland band called 'if and it.'

By RICK JOHNSON

Ask a musician how to make a good record and many will say it's not just the music itself and how it's recorded that counts. Where you record the music is also a big part of the equation.

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HOW IT RATES

IF AND IT: "RATPIG"

LABEL: Self-produced

***

-- Based on a four-star scale

Which brings us to "Ratpig," a six-song record by a Portland band called "if and it." Here is a release almost certainly influenced by where it was recorded -- in a small New Hampshire cabin in the foothills of the White Mountains.

Isolation and loneliness are recurring themes on the EP, and what better place to capture those moods than a tiny building out in the middle of nowhere.

"Ratpig" is definitely an indie-rock affair, and as such, the instrumentation and arrangements are sparse: Guitar, bass, keyboards here and there, and drums (never overpowering, and often sounding like they're being played with brushes). The vocals remind one of a mellow Trey Anastasio or a charmingly off-key Evan Dando in one of his more subdued moments.

Lyrically, some of the songs read like letters to an ex-lover ("Just in case you were wondering/ I don't want to be anything," laments the opening track, "Wondering"). But if and it sprinkle little bits of hope and even joy throughout the songs, with images no doubt inspired by the nature surrounding the band's cabin.

But nature, like relationships, can be beautiful and scary, a sentiment perfectly captured in the song "Monster": "We'll chase away the fireflies and stare down glowing green eyes."

As one might expect from an indie release, "ratpig" definitely falls into the category of lo-fi, but this only adds to the album's charm. With barely a hint of reverb on the whole album, the songs and lyrics take center stage.

Rick Johnson is a radio host and freelance writer from Westbrook.