Some people get held prisoner in a basement for years, Canadian songwriter Chad Vangaalen holes up in his underground chambers voluntarily to piece his songs together with the help of a very old ghettoblaster. And we are thankful he does. Because no doubt, his recording conditions are a big part of the charm.
Next to being a songwriter, Vangaalen is also a painter. I’m not so much a fan of his drawings but all the more-r of his songs. What makes him stand out is not just his fragile voice but also his ability to use a wide variety of instruments and still make things sound cohesive. Whether it’s a banjo-drive folk tune like opener “Willow Tree” or electro-experiments (“Phantom Anthills”) , “Soft Airplane” is a collection of songs that never fails to grab your attention.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.subpop.com
http://www.chadvangaalen.com
No comments:
Post a Comment