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January 12, 2006
MS Daily Picks - Addition. Subtraction.
Addition: Love is All - “Felt Tip”
It starts with a lone bass line. A good, strong bassline. One you can hang your hat on.
:15 seconds in, some subtle guitar and percussion join the mix, but in an atmospheric role rather than as a focal point.
:15 more seconds, and we get the arrival of a sweetly Scandinavian accented female vocal. It is clear, but hushed. The soft delivery and heavy echo bolster the sense of nerves and isolation neatly as the lyrics imply the illicit activities of our Sharpie armed graffiti artist protagonist. While singer Josephine Olausson displays melodic vulnerability, Johan Lindwall’s bassline is the back bone moving the song forward.
We ride this neat vocal and bass interplay until the 1:13 mark, where JO is backed up by a distant male vocal. As nice as the harmony is, a light swell of cymbals begins ratcheting up the tension rather let things get comfortable. This pays off almost immediately as spiky guitars come in to give release and pick up the song’s pace in the process, impressionistically fleshing out the bass skeleton.
Only 2:20 in now, the full band is working out the initial vocal melody/ rhythm interplay with instrumental flourishes and backing harmony injecting some confidence into the lyric. Our lone vandal becoming a movement/ generational spokesman?
After a thirty second chorus lap the horns come in, fast and clipped. Propulsive. It’s at this point that the vocals become increasingly wild, and the carefully layered sonic elements all begin to pile up in a frantic rush to the finish. Evoking a frantic police chase, maybe? Fast and thrilling, it’s far away from the minimal start point.
Then, in a flash, it’s over. But not before dropping all the accumulated elements away once more to give the original bassline a well deserved curtain call.
Cool.
Subtraction: Akron Family - “Running, Returning”
Akron Family – “Running, Returning”
In direct contrast to the previous pick, this track starts at its densest point and continues to streamline. A song in three distinct parts held together by a superlative lead vocal, lets take each in turn.
Part one: Starting with some banjo and basic but cut up and distorted percussion, this track is soon joined in earnest by a troupe of harmonizing voices. The choir punctuates each rhythmic beat, serving double duty by giving heft to the marching pace of the drums while simultaneously adding harmonic warmth to the backing track. Over this thick stew comes the soaring vocal. The lyrics are sort of harmlessly ambiguous hippy whatnot , but this guy's voice is great. With his long, sustained notes held over the pulsing voices of his compatriots and continuing banjo it reaches an effect best likened to Bends-era Radiohead as produced by the Animal Collective. That sounds like crazy fantasy camp hyperbole, I know, but it's really the most apt description.
Part two: The backing vocals drop away, as does the percussion. A short banjo interlude takes center stage, joined by some acoustic guitar and eventually piano. The banjo exits. We are left with a plodding piano melody and of course the vocal, more pinched than before. Since I've already caught the fanciful comparison bug I'll point out the similarity here to an imaginary folk version of Clinic.
Part three: With roughly a minute thirty to go, they change up and slow down again. At a funeral pace, the lead vocal reaches for the heavens and comes pretty damn close to Jeff Buckley territory. Maybe an octave less range, but the vocal gymnastics here deliver at least a minute that could absolutely be from the Grace cutting room floor.
As his voice gives out and fades, we're left with just an understated banjo outro, and then quiet. Impressive.
With this band's debut record and Feels 2005 may go down as the year that "freak folk" finally became interesting. What do you know?
P.S. NYC Kids take note, Akron Family bring their massive beards to the venerable Knitting Factory this Saturday the 14th. See you there!
Disclaimer: I do not know what you look like and I will not see you there.
Love is All MySpace page, buy CD
Akron Family MySpace page, buy CD
Tags: Love is All, Akron Family
Posted by Jeff Klingman at January 12, 2006 09:41 AM
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