Steven Bowers is one of those indie folk acts that builds big sweeping moods. His work can take a moment or a seemingly innocent encounter and expand it ten fold. He's an explorer of emotion and introspection. He is very good at manipulating time by slowing it down and examining all the consequences of human interaction. Whether these moments are sad, anxiety ridden or joyful, he manages to paint a beautiful musical picture. His album Elk Island Park is intense and expansive, stuff made for the silver screen.
While he resides on the folk end of the spectrum the amount of layering applied here is much more than the average folk bear. I feel too often folk is associated with acoustic instruments and bare bones production. Bowers' take is very lavish and full and in no way is any of that folk charm lost. This album is ambitious on the production side and the result is something modern while still timeless. The assembly of this album is rather complex. Some of it was done in homes and some in studios. Over the four years it took to create this album, the songs have been through many hands. What I love is how cohesive and solid of a foundation this album has despite all of that. The wonders of modern day recording never cease to amaze me. The music rests comfortably on delicate and endearing melodic veins that take deep root in the songs. Melodies designed to tug on the heart strings and reset the pace of your nervous system. It is engulfing the way he creates such, cinematic moments, and with any instrument of his choosing. Sometimes it's the strings, sometimes it's the vocal harmonies he builds and sometimes it’s even the percussion. He is very creative in his efforts to create an atmosphere and it is commendable. Most of the eleven tracks follow a similar, low impact tempo and so it was key that he break these songs apart with distinctive features. The lyrics are very thoughtful and vulnerable. At times there were a few misses for me. I think his narratives are so thick that sometimes they get away from him. For the most part though, the words are very enjoyable and sweet. The words are what create that time shifting effect more than anything. As I have said, he will dive into the tiniest encounter and dissect it ever so carefully. It's an interesting songwriting tick that gives him a unique voice in the crowd. Elk Island Park is beautiful in that it is complex where you least expect it and simple to digest. The appeal for this album I imagine is quite wide. I could see this being a big commercial phenomenon. I imagine all the layers and Bowers' lovely voice would be something many would pay for, myself included. Bowers was very thorough in his craft with this album and I believe he has made something high end and note worthy. Give it a listen when you have time to yourself.
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