Oh God, not another white-guy-with-acoustic-guitar act. I bet he raps too doesn’t he. What’s that?
Every song is a complex and absurdist insight into the human experience
told from the perspective of perfectly constructed metaphors based around
sci-fi and horror? Oh…
E.W Harris is utterly
unique in the folk genre, not as a result of the electronic tinges his music
takes on, but because of the bizarre subject material of the stories being
told. I generally garner my enjoyment of
music from a unique melodic feature, or an interesting instrument thrown into
the mix,
but the craftsmanship shown in Harris’ lyrics is the best part of this
album. It’s a tour-de-force in blending
personal struggle with outlandish metaphorical observations.
On the title track “Re-entry”, Harris likens himself to an astronaut
entering a world he doesn’t recognise, “The world is strange on the surface,
and I am changed on the surface” he sings, before going on to vividly paint a
vision of this alien planet, “Violet Oceans in violent motions, they swirl and
crash to breach an afterimage sky”. “Panopticon”
opts for a more haunting instrumental, with a driving, almost tribal beat, and
what I’m almost certain are steel drums in places. “Phonies” is a starker affair, with Harris’
impressive vocals being at the forefront.
The theme here seems to be more religious, with lyrics such as, “All
those who know, never can tell, who goes to heaven and who goes to hell”. “Ether” is the catchiest song on the album.
The highlight of the album for me is the longest song in the
setlist, “Los Vampiros”. If the chilling
violin tremolos didn’t make it a perfect candidate for the soundtrack of a
Hitchcock-esque horror film, then the tormented lyrics certainly do. “I’ll wander around some dusty back roads,
round up some freaks and start my own show” being just a short extract from a
song as poetically theatrical as anything I’ve heard all year. The effort thrown into this song is so clear,
from not only its length, but from its dedication to its noir tone. By the time the final croaked words die away,
I’m convinced that this album challenges Father John Misty for my folk album of
the year.
As I’m sure you’ve
deduced, I enjoyed this album a great deal.
Few albums are as expansive in their emotional range, lyrical creativity
or tonal consistency. I recommend that
you listen to this album and buy it in whichever formats are available.
Charlie McCartney
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