Luke TempleSnowbeast
(08.2007, Millpond Records)
8.0/10
Luke Temple's sophomore album Snowbeast is a measured change from his 2005 debut, marked by endless subtleties and approvingly distancing himself from Starbucks' CD racks. Continuing his streak for seering openers, Temple lets loose on his first track with the near-perfect "Saturday People" showing why he is such a unique voice in the current overflow of music's modern landscape. Temple quickly dips into his most comfortable space of slow motion minor chords on "Serious" before transitioning into a new quirkiness. The songs are obsessively layered with innumerable odds and ends adding up to minimalistic folk/pop gem. Temple's addition of all sorts of instrumental oddities to his repertoire on Snowbeast (including the introduction of some token electronics) pays off immensely. However, it is his restraint that takes center stage as he limits some of these instruments to a single staccato note, given the track. It is this attention to minute detail that makes Snowbeast a delicate grower that continues to charm on repeated listens. Snowbeast isn't one to wrangle in critical stargazing but is humble and dynamic enough to become an essential in any appreciator of music's collection.
-Mr. Thistle
Luke Temple - "Saturday People"
2 comments:
can you maybe consider posting release dates for albums that you are reviewing? just so we all have a point of reference.
You got it, we will start including the month by the year at the top of each review
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