Gregorian Nap is the culmination of three years of material written between 2017-2020 by James Moore and Don Shepherd better known as Nightbird Casino. The album mixes elements of post-punk, alternative and shoegaze.
There are thirteen tracks and the album comes in around forty-seven minutes. I felt there was a lot happening on this release and quite a lot to take in. There are many killer grooves but also a lot of atmosphere which comes in the form of a long hall reverb. A track like “Pole Line Road '' is one of the more kinetic tracks that takes post-punk and integrates some more modern aesthetics. The song drives but also has a good amount of space. I liked the juxtaposition between the guitars and the rhythm section. The vocal harmonies are on point and memorable. On the very next song entitled “Symmetrical Electrical'' we get a much more submerged type of vibe not unlike something you might hear from a band like Radiohead. The song is melancholy but also provides some solace. The band Local Natives also came to mind. As the album progresses there is quite a variety and the duo goes in clear directions to my ears. Some songs seem more clearly influenced by certain genres. There are even some songs which go in a more classical contemporary direction like “Cotopaxi.” I loved this song but it really sounds like a completely different artist. In fact I think an entire album in this style should be food for thought. One of the highlights was “Birmingham.” I thought the instrumental aspect was unique and so was the singing. It hit an ambiguous vibe I really enjoyed that felt psychedelic and absurd. The horns in this song were great!. This album felt a little disjointed at times but there are certain moments where everything comes together perfectly. I would say this is a great album overall with out of the box thinking and approach which pays off.
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