orangeyellowred: Make an Ugly Friend B-

orangeyellowred is the brainchild of Frank Sweikhardt, an unassuming resident of Marion, Ind. and a member of the Crossroads of America collective. Sweikhardt is a relative newcomer to the Indiana music scene who has been able to utilize a local favorite husband-and-wife backup band in his music. Make an Ugly Friend is less about the individual songs, though, and more about the experience of listening to the set as a whole.\nThe album is gentle, self-aware and, at times, poignant. The placid picking and serene strums of an acoustic guitar create an amiable backdrop for Schweikhardt's uncomplicated vocal timbre. Occasionally, drums and other percussion are added into the mix, along with guest vocals from Mike Adams and Laura Balke\nThough the album is enjoyable, I sometimes forgot I was even listening to it. Maybe its unassuming quality is due to lack of that one hook or melody that infects your consciousness and brings you back to your senses. Overall, I found myself wanting just a little bit more from the effort.\nThis album is a nice first step, but its sound just seems as though it is missing a unifying element. Make an Ugly Friend is not an ugly album, but orangeyellowred needs more time to grow into itself.