Electronic music, grunge and dance pop. Those are the different genres that Justin John Scheck promises to deliver on his latest release, The Evening Years: Dance Songs for the Lonely. You can imagine my intrigue at the prospect of such an unlikely meshing of styles. But Scheck certainly doesn't disappoint on this wildly experimental and intriguing album. The intro, "This Skin And View,” leans heavily into electronic experimentation, offering whirring, buzzing synths and sparse, buried percussion. It's his vocals and the stark, spaced-out piano chords that really capture my attention though. In spite of the chaos on display, there's a joyous warmth to the melody of this opening track. You can hear it in the delightful piano chord progression and Scheck's emotive, husky singing. His emotions seem to reach a climax at the end of the track, and he delivers a truly impressive performance. It's always brilliant when you can hear a singer's passion in their voice, isn't it?
"Times Were Strange" is driven by plinking, upbeat synths, a glitchy, catchy beat and a distorted guitar riff. The grunge influence is definitely starting to show, but Scheck offers yet another wonderfully whimsical tune. His husky vocals, yet again, take prominence on the track. I do love the consistency of his singing. Every note feels meaningful to him. His emotion never wavers for a second. It's hard to put into words, but you'd know exactly what I mean if you were to listen for yourself. The words are deeply significant to him. Every sung lyric comes from the chest. I really thought I'd be focusing primarily on the experimentation in this record, but it's definitely Scheck's voice that I find the most captivating. That being said, his production skills are apparent. There's an intricacy to the blending of synths, guitar, and electronic drumming that doesn't just happen; it takes meticulous mixing and hours of work. "Never Say Never" isn't an homage to Justin Bieber, but it was certainly the first moment on the record that truly took me by surprise, offering an experimental curveball. There's definitely a grunge essence to this track in that it's pure carnage. That doesn't just come down to the sizzling guitar. In fact, if anything, I'd say the grunge energy comes from the crashing drums and wacky, auto-tuned vocals. I know. I never thought I'd say auto-tune is grunge, but in this instance, the production effect really adds to the sheer chaos of the song. I can't really distinguish any of the lyrics, but I think that's by choice. It's a wild rollercoaster ride with a few moments of beautiful piano plinks, just to really scramble the listener's head, but I really rate the avant-garde nature of this track. This is true experimentation. That being said, I'd definitely say I prefer cuts such as “OK," which is more of a Radiohead-inspired alt-rock offering. A catchy electric guitar arpeggio atop a rhythmic beat which takes some dark, dissonant twists and turns. It's a short instrumental offering, but it's one of my favorite moments on the record. It really demonstrates Scheck's talent. All in all, this is an exciting album, and there's no denying that. Scheck's vocals were the highlight for me, but I admire his production skills and willingness to experiment in wild and unconventional ways. Even the outro, strangely entitled “Interlude," though it's the final song, offers an intriguing ending. I adore the bending guitar notes on this distorted, yet soothing, closing track. There's an unfinished feeling to the album, and that leaves me wanting more from Scheck. I look forward to seeing what he does next.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Critique/insightWe 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.
Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook
Archives
May 2024
|