Back
in late January, brothers Chris and Mat Kerekes released their Winter Split EP.
As a big fan of Mat’s solo work and his other band Citizen, the Winter Split
was a much anticipated release for me. I was not too familiar with Chris’ work
at the time, and so I looked forward to hearing the Mat tracks the most. Surprisingly
though, Chris’ songs were the real highlight on Winter Split. His track “The
Sidewalk” in particular was so catchy it had me sitting down with my guitar for
a few hours trying to learn the song by ear.
Not
even four months have passed since the Winter Split’s release, but Chris Kerekes
has been very busy since then. On Tuesday he put out a five song EP entitled
“Weave Me The Sunshine”.
“Weave
Me The Sunshine” largely stays true to Chris’ past work. The songs are soft
acoustic arrangements paired with Chris’ poetic introspections on various relationships.
What sets “Weave Me The Sunshine” apart from Chris’ past efforts is this EP’s
production.
Mixing and mastering for “Weave Me The
Sunshine” was handled by prominent New Wave punk producer Will Yip. Yip’s
production credits include some of the biggest New Wave bands including Title
Fight, Balance and Composure, Citizen, and one of 2014’s best albums so far, La
Dispute’s “Rooms of the House.” Yip brings a lot of experience to the table and
it reveals itself in the more polished sounds of “Weave Me The Sunshine.”
“Ella”
is the primary track that illustrates the sonic differences between this
release and Chris’ past efforts. The vocals are drastically cleaner and less
ambient than in his self-titled EP or the Winter Split. The song also
incorporates orchestration, layered vocals, and soft piano chords, which is a
step away from Chris’ lo-fi stylings and into a more full, professional sound. “Ella”
is not a bad track by any means, but it is a departure from the signature “home-recorded”
warmth that makes Chris Kerekes’ previous music so inviting.
“Painted
Wings”, the EP’s second track, uses some of the same new tricks as “Ella”, but
they are well-woven into the signature Kerekes sound. The acoustic guitar is
soft, warm, and plodding as Chris recollects abandoned aspirations in the lines
“A man who ran out on his dreams/ Who looked like me.” A string section joins
in on the chorus, but here the strings sound like a more organic addition than
in “Ella”. There is some nice common ground in the track between Chris’ old
sound and his understandable need to grow as an artist.
The
EP has several highlights. The opening track “Fort Sam” finds Chris picking a
fairly complex, but delicate pattern while reflecting on pessimism and its
negative effects on a relationship in the lines ,“I never said anything
good/Was not a man who held the flag.” The real highpoint is the EP’s fourth
track, “To Celia”. The vocals are airy and haunting as Kerekes opens with a
string of lines that yearn for a former self. “I’m a ghost/A shadow on a road/A
reflection”. If that wasn’t good enough, he continues on the same track with
“More dead leaves fall from my tree,” but pleads for a lifeline with “Won’t you
rescue me/From my misery?” Ultimately, he acknowledges his own inability to
move on, pondering “When will I see/I was not what you need.”
“Weave
Me The Sunshine” succeeds by simultaneously expanding Chris Kerekes’ sound
while still retaining the essential elements that make his brand of
acoustic music unique and interesting. Some tracks fall short, but there is
plenty to love on this EP. It’s not going to take the world by storm, but it’s
perfect music for relaxing. Sometimes that’s all you need.
Rating: 3/4
“Weave Me The Sunshine” by
Chris Kerekes is available on Bandcamp for the low low price of $3.
No comments:
Post a Comment