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Los Arkansans Misterioso tracklisting: 01 :: Gemeinschaft 02 :: Houyhnhms 03 :: Takotsubo 04 :: Waterbears 05 :: Take That 06 :: Morocco 07 :: Upendix 08 :: Totipotent 09 :: Media Naranja 10 :: Sogni D'oro |
Rediviva review
August 2008
Subconsciously...
This Arkansan trio unites the heady and the heartfelt
By Jon Chick
I love the sound of steel guitar. I would happily drape its ethereal tones over just about any music: Gregorian chants, smooth jazz, maybe even death metal. In my opinion, steel guitar is equal to the sublime sounds of waves crashing or wind blowing through trees. TheSubcons' new album, Los Arkansans Misterioso, is drenched in the languorous, seductive sound of James Mayer's steel guitar; it drifts like a charged cloud over nine of the ten songs, and gives the album a very consistent feel. It's funny though, because the lines notes led me to suspect a more eclectic listen. I didn't recognized three of the instruments listed (cumbus, doumbek and singing bowl), and one nameless Moroccan instrument, with a tone resembling both a mandolin and a bouzouki, is given the portmanteau ofMandouki. But this is not world music. The Subcons , more than any band I've heard lately, possess a sound that all but defies categorization. Lead singer Richard Bruno, in a plaintive tenor reminiscent of Nick Drake, sings of lost love and meager hope. Fletcher Foti, the group's multi-instrumentalist, leaps from bass to banjo to whatever the next song requires, including the aforementioned singing bowl. A handful of guests offer the album's many embellishments.
The first four songs of Los Arkansans Misterioso are of a piece. "Gewundlicheit" is carried along by a persistent tabla beat, sparse classical guitar lines and Bruno's melodic sentiment, "Rain is gone / the time has come / sun is up / shines on everyone." It's a perfect album-opening mood setter. The second song "Houyhnhms," introduced by a weirdly-processed field recording, delves into flamenco guitar runs, country steel guitar and a pleading chorus, "Something's grabbing at you now / forget what happened years ago / don't let it go." Lyrically, Bruno is an abstract impressionist who paints in broad, blurry strokes that compliment the album's psychedelic anti-structures. But just as the first four songs' intricate somnolence threatens to blur together, the love song "Take That" changes the mood with lively strumming, vocal harmonies andhandclaps that strongly suggest The Subcons ' indie rock leanings. "Morocco," the album's sole instrumental, features an ornamental interplay between bass and guitar. My favorite song, fittingly titled "Upendix," starts with a confident yet light groove, takes an abrupt Caribbean turn, and then exits with (forgive me) a rapturously haunting steel guitar solo.
There are a few distracting elements on the album. The instruments are too separated by channel and volume, and what could be an attractive spaciousness becomes over-isolation. It's a shame to hear so much studio manipulation behind an otherwise inviting production. I also noticed a few off-rhythms, and at times the lulling lead vocals become monotonous. These are small gripes, however. Los Arkansans Misterioso is an inspired album that doesn't sound like anything else I've heard. I want to offer apt comparisons, but perhaps I should just let it go and enjoy the music. TheSubcons have successfully united far-reaching influences into a deeply original and unified set of songs.
