phaedos - Invisible Consciousness

Phaedos

Invisible Consciousness 
self-released; 2013

3.6 out of 5

Gregg Flaherty and Zakk Vorodi make up the group called Phaedos, an instrumental rock group that exists somewhere between post-rock and folk music.  The tracks on their new full length entitled Invisible Consciousness are acoustic and sometimes made me wonder why they decided not to add any singing. The songs are melancholy, lo-fi and contain some decent guitar work, some rare piano and dry drums.There are some cool ideas on this album however I have to admit I would have liked to hear what this may have sounded like if there was a bit more polish.  

The first track “Chloe’s Song” starts with a simple drumbeat and two acoustic guitars. Nothing too crazy here, just a nice song with a strong melody that lets the listener know what they are going to be in for the duration of the album. One of the highlights “Invisible Motion” is a diverse song that despite its melancholy feel has a subdued optimism not unlike something you might hear from a band like Mogwai. It isn’t until the interlude that the drums are dismissed and we hear a folky guitar progression and a very soft synth you may not hear unless you pay attention. There are other highlights on the album such as “Freedom” which conjures up a little of a Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane” feel. Sometimes there's nothing that works better than a lo-fi, simple approach to recording music, when the style is supposed to be more about the feeling then about the form itself. Sometimes a good melody and the motivation behind it is way more powerful than any studio wizardry you might come to have at your disposal as an artist. This is definitely the case of Phaedos’ musical project led by songwriter and performer Zakk Vorodi. This is a solid, consistent album that although it could have benefitted from better production has some worthwhile moments that will have me intrigued to check out their future material. 

Become a fan

bandcamp