 Tony
Moreno
"Leftovers from a Wake" CDR
KEEP
Recordings
Genres: folk, soundscapes, experimental folk
KEEP
PO Box 18972
Tucson AZ 85731
May 31 - Jun 6 2004 |
Tony Moreno's Leftovers from a Wake is by no means a
"pop" record, although it is no stranger to
accessibility. The first disc on the newly formed Keep
Recordings imprint [dedicated to limited editions of around 50
copies each,] it is a folk-influenced experiment in instrumental
soundscapery and spoken word storytelling. Throughout the album's
thirteen tracks, Moreno combines historical interviews with
guitar and electronic accompaniment. The results are very moody
and often heartwarming, blending modern textures with archaic themes.
While Leftovers from a Wake may face a limited fanbase due
to a lack of "single"-calibre compositions, it isn't the
type of album that can be considered flat-out boring. Moreno's
guitar playing is inspired and dramatic; this is especially evident on
folkscapes like "Hole the Size of My Heart" and
"Saturdays," as well as straightforward acoustic folk
numbers "Blood Meridian" and "Leftovers from a
Wake."
Overall, Tony Moreno's album is a great accomplishment -
while it's largely a full-length soundscape, the inclusion of many
accessible guitar melodies and a few delightfully sorrowful folk
ballads will warrant repeated listens. As a whole, this is a
tremendously pleasant homemade release - its artwork is beautiful, and
the music itself is no different.
87%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 13 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
