Moonface
Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped
By Alex HudsonNo one could ever accuse Spencer Krug of false advertising. Just as the title suggests, the songwriter wrote and performed his first Moonface LP on organ. The result is a major departure from the punchy, cathartic rock songs he's known for as a member of Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown. These five tracks clock in at over 37 minutes, eschewing typical pop song structures in favour of long, droning instrumental passages and chanted mantras. But even this stylistic departure can't erase the singer's distinctive stamp: the quivering vocals are unmistakable, as is the dark, cryptic poetry. If "Return to the Violence of the Ocean Floor" doesn't sound like the quintessential Spencer Krug song title, nothing does. This eerie epic opens the album with ultra-lo-fi beats and a swirling sea of undulating organs and repetitive vocal hooks. The rest of the album follows suit, offering almost nothing in the way of variety ― only the manic, overdriven leads of "Shit-Hawk in the Snow" really stand out. This lack of diversity turns out to be an asset rather than a shortcoming, creating a dense, sinister atmosphere that makes Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped a standout in Krug's already impressive catalogue.
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