After nearly a decade of knocking around New York’s DIY music scene, Tommy Bazarian (aka Lampland) moved to California. This may go some way to explaining the vibe of the start of the album under review today. Or it may be a coincidence – but to us, the sound of the recently dearly departed California legend Brian Wilson absolutely permeates the opening of Get Serene. The way the instruments eventually combine on Made To Blush to create a comforting wall of sound is reminiscent of his seminal band’s well-known magnum opus, the eternal Pet Sounds. We’re reminded of his lasting influence as other musical inspirations come into focus as well. Elliott Smith, Belle & Sebastian, Death Cab For Cutie and Hal have all borrowed from the maestro, and we would suggest that Lampland may be a fan of some of these acts, too.
This is further reinforced by the combination of acoustic guitar and plinky piano of Cold Comfort, which sounds like it could’ve been taken from cult classic Figure 8. It’s a beautiful piece that glides along and becomes positively jaunty by the chorus.
Miracles On Ice is a melodic but melancholy fantasist moment that feels like a bit of an alt-country daydream. The backing vocals on this song make it pop – the male and female voices blend beautifully together.
Holding Down Delete is a highlight of the record. The instrumentation is warm, and the relationship between the individual components strikes just the right balance. Touches of Grandaddy and Wilco blend with the influences mentioned above to create a gorgeous, retro-leaning duvet of tones and textures.
My Mystique starts with a tender solo guitar. In comes the double-tracked vocals and the bouncing cadence, and we can’t help being reminded of Elliott Smith again. He knew his way around a tune, and so too does Bazarian, it seems. He flexes his melodic muscles here, and the initial minimal arrangement in time blooms into a beautiful bouquet of sound. Swirling synths, glistening guitars, pared-back percussion, and tastefully basic bass amalgamate to captivate.
Don’t Be feels almost jazzy as it begins. Again, Bazarian is joined by the female backing vocals of Katie Von Schleicher (who also acted as the album’s co-producer, by the way), who adds another beautiful layer to the sparse arrangement. In the last third of the song, it suddenly picks up, and the contrast between the beginning and end is like going to technicolour from black and white. Although both have their merits and are, of course, deeply enjoyable.
Soft Inside is a sunshiney indie pop head-nodder. A sweet, simplistic, soothing song that is almost naive in its basic beauty. This is the ying to the next track, yang. Let The Boy Sleep begins with a maximalist melange of sound. Pounding drums, persistent guitar and what sounds like a Wurlitzer or maybe an accordion- it’s a noise that The Decemberists or Neutral Milk Hotel would be proud of. All this subsides and becomes more serene and feels a bit like Don’t Leave The Light On, Baby by Belle & Sebastian – before taking a surprising Arcade Fire-esque turn into almost pseudo-disco territory. It’s the album’s most adventurous moment by far and one that won’t be quickly forgotten.
I Wanna Be Surprised is the album’s closer. It’s a delicate music box-esque lament that feels like part lullaby/part eulogy (that must be down to the organ sounds?) In an album full of self-reflection and introspection, this feels like the most introspective moment yet, and it serves as a fitting end to this journey of a record.
Written by Kinda Grizzly
