Hall of Fame

Starting with barely a whisper and the volume specifically kept to a minimum, Hall of Fame delight in the unbalanced, more atonal edge of the hip genre known as psych-folk. Vocals, both male and female, either wisp in and out of the songs, or join in together, with a direction seemingly ahead. This is heard best in the most meandering track, "Endless Returns,” where the guitars, drums and vocals sometimes coalesce, but also act of their own volition for both a haunting, yet offsetting track. There’s even a hint of space-rock and drone thrown in for good measure, proving Hall of Fame have a good deal of tricks, but never do they allow them to fully dominate the album. Paradise Now is just happy to float along at an undetermined pace and bring the listener with it on the journey. Hall of Fame also show a little humour in the fact that their most accessible, energetic and melodic tune is called "New York Lullabye.” With a booming piano and a very strong vocal performance, the rousing number both delights but also begs the question of why they buried this in the bottom of the album? Don’t be ashamed of the straightforward song, as strong songs can be obtuse, but as "New York Lullabye” proves, there is also much beauty in the simplest of ideas.