Album Review: Echo Bloom, Blue
Genre: Orchestral Folk, Atmospheric Pop
RIYL: Beach Boys (Pet Sounds era), Joanna Newsom, Portishead, Sufjan Stevens
And now for something completely different. Echo Bloom is, basically, songwriter Kyle Evans, who developed the concept for Blue while holed up in a flat in Berlin. Removing himself from familiar trappings and immersing himself into foreign cultures allowed Evans to cultivate a musical world that defies conventional description. No detail feels unrehearsed or unintentional; it’s that meticulous attention to the song composition where Evans collaborated with choral composer Joseph Gregorio that inform the unique sound that pervades Blue. The Echo Bloom press piece expands on this both accurately and succinctly: “six part harmonies, string sections, banjo lines, and mellotrons create a lush orchestral exture reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel, Portishead, The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and Nick Drake.”
Those intricate and powerful harmonies are on full display on opening track “Annunciation,” showcasing the characteristic rough growl of Evans’ own voice with the smooth but road-worn vocals of Aviva Jaye and Kate Vargas. It’s an interesting dichotomy of styles, not unlike gravel and glass - equally stunning and shining brightly alongside each other. The title track is a hypnotic and emotional piece of work that soars as much for the composition as a whole as well as the restraint shown by Evans and company vocally. I struggle to compare Evans to another singer vocally - and struggle even more to compare the songwriting to any of his contemporaries. And I think that’s what I like the most about Blue.
“The Flood” seems to ebb, flow and spread itself outward much like its namesake, urgent at times and moving gently in the next moment. But the standout track is “Fireworks,” a truly lovely tune that seems to float and hang on the air. A delicate touch of piano keys, sparse drumming, gorgeous vocal harmonies and words that feel so familiar but dreamlike. It really is a wondrous moment that delivers sharp visual imagery and an expressive performance from all the players.
Blue isn’t what you would put on to play if you’re looking for a quick or easy listen. This is a record that ultimately reveals its intricacies and sparkling moments over time and repeated listens. But the work that endures and defines most career musicians are those collections of songs that weren’t easy to come by creatively or easily defined. It’s clear here that Evans is stretching himself both musically and personally. And he’s asking listeners and fans to stretch themselves as well.
Echo Bloom website: http://echobloom.com/
This review originally appeared on Indie-Music.com at: http://www.indie-music.com/ee/index.php/blog/comments/review_echo_bloom_blue
RIYL: Beach Boys (Pet Sounds era), Joanna Newsom, Portishead, Sufjan Stevens
And now for something completely different. Echo Bloom is, basically, songwriter Kyle Evans, who developed the concept for Blue while holed up in a flat in Berlin. Removing himself from familiar trappings and immersing himself into foreign cultures allowed Evans to cultivate a musical world that defies conventional description. No detail feels unrehearsed or unintentional; it’s that meticulous attention to the song composition where Evans collaborated with choral composer Joseph Gregorio that inform the unique sound that pervades Blue. The Echo Bloom press piece expands on this both accurately and succinctly: “six part harmonies, string sections, banjo lines, and mellotrons create a lush orchestral exture reminiscent of Simon and Garfunkel, Portishead, The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and Nick Drake.”
Those intricate and powerful harmonies are on full display on opening track “Annunciation,” showcasing the characteristic rough growl of Evans’ own voice with the smooth but road-worn vocals of Aviva Jaye and Kate Vargas. It’s an interesting dichotomy of styles, not unlike gravel and glass - equally stunning and shining brightly alongside each other. The title track is a hypnotic and emotional piece of work that soars as much for the composition as a whole as well as the restraint shown by Evans and company vocally. I struggle to compare Evans to another singer vocally - and struggle even more to compare the songwriting to any of his contemporaries. And I think that’s what I like the most about Blue.
“The Flood” seems to ebb, flow and spread itself outward much like its namesake, urgent at times and moving gently in the next moment. But the standout track is “Fireworks,” a truly lovely tune that seems to float and hang on the air. A delicate touch of piano keys, sparse drumming, gorgeous vocal harmonies and words that feel so familiar but dreamlike. It really is a wondrous moment that delivers sharp visual imagery and an expressive performance from all the players.
Blue isn’t what you would put on to play if you’re looking for a quick or easy listen. This is a record that ultimately reveals its intricacies and sparkling moments over time and repeated listens. But the work that endures and defines most career musicians are those collections of songs that weren’t easy to come by creatively or easily defined. It’s clear here that Evans is stretching himself both musically and personally. And he’s asking listeners and fans to stretch themselves as well.
Echo Bloom website: http://echobloom.com/
This review originally appeared on Indie-Music.com at: http://www.indie-music.com/ee/index.php/blog/comments/review_echo_bloom_blue
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