KFJC 89.7FM
Album Review
Brill, Paul – “New Pagan Love Song ” – [Scarlet Shame]
Hunter Gatherer 4/23/2005 A Library, CD
This is peripatetic singer/songwriter Paul Brill‘s 3rd full-length release, released in October 2004. Locking himself in his studio with a few close friends through the long winter of 2003-4, Mr. Brill also acted as recording engineer and producer for this CD.
The most noticeable thing about this release is the use of electronics for sound processing and synthesized beats. There is just enough to let you know that this was recorded in this century without overpowering the beautiful melodies and excellent songwriting.
The recording is clean and three dimensional, which allows the pop-influenced arrangements to shine; every instrument can be heard clearly. By contrast the meaning of the lyrics is usually obscured and interpretations are left deliberately open. After repeated listens to Powerlines, ‘I’m still not sure what it’s about. If you liked the Hood that we added earlier this year, you will like this.
Standout tracks: 6: Powerlines (in interviews, Mr. Brill said that this song indicates the direction of his future music, which bodes well for his next release); 5: Lay Down Your Weary Head (esp. the violin work by Jenny Scheinman); 7: a meditative cover of The Doors song, Indian Summer,
Language: ‘shit? on 2
–Hunter Gatherer
you heard it 23 times on kfjc! most recently:
- 4455 days ago, Pax Humana played Lay Down Your Weary Head
- 4493 days ago, Olmec played Powerlines
- 4763 days ago, Pax Humana played Everything I Believe in
- 5701 days ago, Pax Humana played Powerlines
- 6492 days ago, Parker played Powerlines
12345 S. El Monte Road Los Altos Hills, California 94022
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comments
Brian Turner says
Wow, this is an interesting turn of things - Brill has been bopping around NYC as a very Americana-leaning singer-songwriter, in fact my Mrs. was a backing singer for a while and the shows were very hoedown-y at places like the Rodeo Bar. I was stunned to read this an dig it out to listen to and find that indeed, it was a very Hood-like take on the kind of stuff he's done in the past. V. interesting development. Thanks for the well-written review!
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