I know precisely nothing of Blake McKibben, beyond the fact that 'Haze' is his debut album. When it comes to music, though, what do you actually need to know?
Blending acoustic and electric guitars with sweeping synths to create a textured and varied array of sounds and styles, 'Haze' isn't your typical solo singer-songwriter effort. The presence of live percussion - full drum kit, not just a set of bongos or whatever - certainly makes a difference: in terms of his studio work, McKibben is a genuine one-man band. More than this, he's actually got the material, and the production, to make for a seriously good album.
From the electroambient 'Intro,' to the Depeche Mode-y closer 'Two' via the Linkin Park goes electropop title track (complete with a guitar break straight off a Dinosaur Jr. album), one of the strengths of 'Haze' is its shifting moods, the sequencing of the songs contrasting light and dark, rocky and poppy, guitary and synthy.
'Floating' is a full-on rock track, albeit with a pop edge. 'You Life me Up,' on the other hand, is a pure pop song, the sound of summer that evokes images of clean-cut college kids driving around with the roof down. It would sit perfectly comfortably on an advert or TV show soundtrack. 'Black Laughter' follows straight on its tail and casts shadows over the sunny scene. Yes, Blake McKibben is a master of the mood-change. Fortunately, rather than becoming an all too predictable alternation between happy / sad, etc., the switches are a lot more subtle than that, and Blake has carefully contrived to structure an album that carries an emotional range.
|
Not all of the songs are entirely brilliant, but that's more a matter of taste, and it's impossible to please all of the people all of the time, especially when there are people like me reviewing records. It's impressive, and refreshing, though, to note that Blake McKibben isn't afraid to experiment and to pepper his album with dashes of the unconventional, as illustrated by the quirky and angular 'Another Day, Another Dollar.' He's also got a knack for a chorus, without flogging it to death: 'Go Ahead and Fall' is a bona fide rock ballad of anthemic stature.
The album's diversity doesn't affect its overall identity, either: however he modifies his vocal delivery or utilises different instrumentation, there's a unity and cohesion to 'Haze' that makes it feel like a proper album.
http://blakemckibben.com
http://myspace.com/blakemckibben
|
