Rating: NNNN
For those who never quite got John Vanderslice, he’s finally made a love-on-first-listen recording. Yes, you have to pay attention to the lyrics, but the reward is clever, well-developed storytelling. While he also retains the trademark chorale-like texture and appropriate electronic accents, the album is completely accessible, except perhaps for the forgettable D.I.A.L.O.
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Tremble And Tear invites listeners in, and from there Romanian Names moves elegantly through layers of mainly analog instrumentation (think Mellotron, vibes and nyckelharpa). Forest Knolls, with its contagious heartbeat percussion, takes you along on guilt-tinged deer hunt. You will see the blood on the carpet.
And the emotion-drenched ballad Too Much Time, a visceral natural journey, is the disc highlight.
Vanderslice plays the Horseshoe Friday (July 10).
Top track: Too Much Time
