Au
"Verbs" CD
Aagoo Records
Genre: psych folk, experimental
folk, experimental pop
Aug 20 2008 |
Au's Verbs is in some ways
like a Pink Floyd album. Of course, the two are of very
different genres and are sonically quite disparate. But like a Dark
Side of the Moon, Verbs is an experience - an album that is
less a collection of songs and more a musical adventure. Experimental
and yet melodic, Au's music trades the progressive rock of
Floyd for a more current experimental psych-folk approach, ala
Animal Collective et al. Verbs has peaks and valleys,
intense moments and calmer lulls - but never do they become so awash
in their avant-garde-ism that they lose sight of the listener; while
it may take a few listens to sink in, Verbs emerges as an
unquestionably memorable record in the end.
Let's start from the beginning. The record starts with a shapeless
call to arms, combining rolling piano and arhythmic cymbal clish-clattering
with a foreboding vocal part. It provides a serviceable foreword to
the gloriously busy "Are Animals," which boasts campfire calibre vocal
hi-jinks and a wonderful wiggling bassline -
compositionally scattered, it keeps you guessing but never lets up on
the fun. The journey continues throughout the rest of the disc,
ranging from the carnivalesque "RR vs. D" to the beautifully sombre
horns, woodwinds, and piano of Talk Talk-influenced "All
Myself," the record's crystalline masterpiece.
Also glorious is the one-two punch of
"The Waltz" and "Sleep." The former is a blaringly triumphant
expression of joy, plodding but unquestionably uplifting, with a
whimsical combination of bass clarinet, accordion, drums, and vocals.
"Sleep," meanwhile, contrasts with its
predecessor as an eerily quiet piece of outsider pop. Although
initially unsettling, it ends the record on a warm if weary note,
chiming the finish with a bit of trebly guitar folk.
Mmm.
au's
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Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by
the
label,
released 2008] |
