ALBUM REVIEWS
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ALBUM REVIEWS |
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Jeffrey Altergott
BALLOONS SELF-RELEASED OUT NOW @www.vanguard-online.co.uk
I’m never sure what the etiquette is for how to refer to solo artists in a review – should I call them by first name (seems a bit too matey and presumptuous), or surname (seems a bit too formal.) I’ll go for the matey option - this is Jeffrey’s fourth album following 2007’s ‘Don’t Be a Stranger’. Confusingly, from checking his website half the tracks on that album are also on this one which seems a bit odd. Not sure what’s going on there – but if I was an existing fan, I think I would feel slightly conned by that. The cover and press release don’t seem to mention a record label either – and on checking I find that his last few albums have been self-released, so presumably that’s also the case here. Jeffrey and his trio The Whole Fantastic World play these tender songs sumptuously. They’re infused with a bittersweet innocence – some tracks use snippets of nursery rhymes as partial lyrics adding to the sense of child-like wonder. This mixed with gorgeously played minor chords and Jeffrey’s lilting tones provide a captivating melancholic air to the album. ‘Everyday Is a Reason’ is a deliciously poignant jangle about how the little gestures we make in life reaffirm our bonds with our loved ones. Jeffrey is far from one dimensional though - ‘Something Crazy’ somewhat unexpectedly ends with a dazzlingly furious guitar wig-out. ‘Don’t Prove Me Right’ acts as the lavish centre piece of the album (quite literally as its track six of eleven.) This track actually came first in a Billboard 2009 songs fan poll – not sure how much significance that holds as I’m not American. Crashing in from stage left we then get a surprise jazz track ‘Kickstand’, which caught me slightly off guard on first run through of the album. To be honest when listening to a good bit of sprightly indie-pop I can do without Jazz interludes putting me off my stride. ‘Dismal Voyeurs’ concludes the album as an acerbic comment on the banality of modern sprawling TV schedules. This album isn’t going to win any plaudits on the alt-rock scene in the States, as it’s probably a bit too on the safe side. But I enjoyed it and may now have to investigate his previous output. www.jeffreyaltergott.com |
