Peter Broderick - Float

Peter Broderick
Float
(05.2008, Type)
Verdict = classical minimalism perfected

Peter Broderick’s debut full length album, Float, operates like the spring thawing an immaculate morning frost. While classically composed albums from young upstarts seem to be popping up more and more nowadays (even a few on these pages), Broderick’s contribution to the burgeoning scene is unique. Broderick’s compositions still follow the same minimalist approach found across the board, but Broderick’s efforts always seem a little more divine. I have long guessed that depressing music is a lot easier to make than joyful, soulfully uplifting music, especially in concerns of classical music. Aside from the fact that just about all of the aforementioned parades of young, minimalist composers are soaking themselves in the somber, I have upon tinkering around on the piano always found it quite easy to fall into a simple minor key motif. Now I’m no classical pianist, but I did take a couple years of lessons in my elementary days and have always enjoyed tickling the ivories. This is where I feel Broderick is unique, where his minimalism plots him steadily in the minor key, Broderick always manages to pull his songs out of the dreary and into the divine. Broderick is also no stranger to composition in any method or with any instrument. Though Float is only preceded by ten inch piano solos, Broderick is a member of both Horse Feathers and Loch Lomond while also part of touring bands with Norfolk & Western, Laura Gibson and Efterklang. Broderick uses this experience to expand the instrumentation on the piano based Float, making it lush with instrumental gems. In the end Float is part of the growing number of albums that can been confidently deemed “the best albums of 2008” and even in that group, Float is among the best.

-Mr. Thistle

Peter Broderick on Myspace