Pitch Perfect
  • Pitch Perfect
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

John Shorts - Patchwork Panorama

7/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
John Shorts

Patchwork Panorama
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Demeira Harris



I have decided, after listening to John Shorts’ album Patchwork Panorama that the instrument of the year in 2014 is undeniably the ukulele. Long heralded for its role in traditional folk music and as the soundtrack for people getting buzzed at music festivals, here the ukulele tells a different story: one of life, love and gritty independent will.

The album is nice and balanced, with themes that occur in duplicate but are spaced out. It starts off with, and contains a few, love songs – but be forewarned, they aren’t the Disney princess fairytales we come to expect from love songs. In “I Always Knew” things start sweetly enough before taking a very sharp cliff dive into rocky territory. “Barefoot In The Grass,” which occurs near the end of the album, follows a similar trajectory.  There are almost some odes to the darker months in the year. “Winter” does a great job describing the bleakness of the season, with lyrics that are suitably depressing despite the plucky supporting instrument, and “February” follows in suit. 

What caught my attention the most, and really sold me on this album, were the more unique offerings. Take, for instance, the song “Everything’s Fucked” which is even trademarked, which has to be the brightest, happiest, most energetic depressing song I’ve ever heard. The rolling drums, which make their first appearance in this song, are the perfect driving force. Another high-energy song was “The Church And The Steeple,” the defiant anthem of any twenty-something who grew up going to church but now refuses to return despite the various curses and threats of eternal damnation.

I got to hear an entirely new side of the ukulele in “I Need You;” a sharp, darker personality exudes from the usually bright instrument. There is a touch of desperation woven all throughout, and the chorus is admittedly very catchy. And “Party (Interlude)” was one minute of far out synth-goodness that reminded me of hazy moments on a crowded dance floor in a frat house with glow sticks and keg beer in red solo cups. 

 “Words You Said” started normal enough, though the listener never really gets to know what the “words” in question were – where the answer would be, we are instead greeted by a melodic and earworm worthy medley of “la laaaa, lala la la laaa laaa.” Spending too much time contemplating what those sounds symbolize results in being blindsided by a rapid verse I can only describe as John Shorts ‘spitting hot fire.’ The story told in just that section is more than worth a few rewinds to catch every single word.  

“Come On Back” was a legitimately sweet way to end the album, with the music really giving a sense of longing and the feeling of missing someone. The sharp notes come back out to play, which really give the main riff character. I was hoping for and got goose bumps when the sound evolved to include more instruments and layers; this song made the album go out in style. 

This album was everything I didn’t know I wanted it to be. I’m really not all that partial to folk music or the ukulele in general (as it usually is very bright and happy) but I liked how a lot of the songs here were down-tuned to add some edge. I also like how the lyrics were incredibly engaging and honest; because of that, along with some truly nice riffs and a few variances in instrumentation, this album kept me intrigued from start to finish and I know I’ll be adding a few of these songs to my “favorite songs” playlists. This was definitely a lot of fun to listen to and I greatly enjoyed it. 
bandcamp
twitter
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by pitchperfect158
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
© Pitch Perfect 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Pitch Perfect
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact