JOSH REICHMANN plays the Garrison Saturday (June 18), 10 pm, as part of NXNE. See listing Rating: NNNN
When Josh Reichmann was singing with Toronto post-punk band Tangiers, few would have guessed he would embrace electronics and experimentation as much as he has in the years since they broke up. After Live is a striking collection of dark, forward-thinking pop music that might just be his best work yet.
Accurate reference points would be Heroes-era Bowie or Eno during his art rock years, but this new disc is far from retro. The synths and electronic tinkering put it squarely in 2011, which nicely offsets his occasional side trips into T. Rex-influenced glam pop. All the sonic creativity grabs your attention immediately, but what shines through on multiple listens is how much Reichmann has grown as a vocalist. He’s toned down his more yelpy tendencies for smoother crooning, and his sense of a great melody has grown by leaps and bounds.
Top track: People Fade Away
