The
Accidentals – Bittersweet (Independent)
The Accidentals are Katie Larson and Savannah Buist,
a Traverse City, Michigan duo who play a captivating brand of accessible, heart-on-their-sleeve
alt. folk. Melody and hooks are ever-present and the teenage pair sing their
songs with a quirky charm. They originally got together in late 2011; they hit
it off musically almost immediately and released their acclaimed debut “Tangled
Red and Blue” in 2012. “Bittersweet” is its successor and they’ve effortlessly
avoided any suggestion of the dreaded “sophomore album slump” with a collection
that gets under the skin and makes itself very comfortable.
Their youthful enthusiasm is utterly infectious, and
they sound like they’re enjoying themselves throughout the album’s 15 tracks.
They both play a variety of gizmos, from traditional folk and songwriting instruments
like guitar and piano, to more exotic devices such as glockenspiel, kazoo and
musical saw - together with a selection of serious strings, including violin
and cello. The diversity of instrumentation adds several layers and much warmth
to the recordings, and the songs flourish in their lush surroundings.
Recorded with major producers in Indianapolis and
Nashville, their professionalism has helped realize Larson and Buist’s
ambitious artistic vision, and delivered a wealth of standout material. They
begin with “The Silence”, an upbeat arrangement
propels the song onwards and upwards, and the lyrical flow is intriguing and
absorbing – and so complex as to draw comparison to Joanna Newsom in full
poetic flight. Then there’s the title track, which arrives fully formed with a
shuffling rhythm and rich harmonies, and enthralls a little more with each
listen, and “Bulletproof Glass” brings out their
equally compelling acoustic-indie inclinations.
Phil S.
The
Accidentals Live at the City Opera House playing Bittersweet
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.