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End of the Game
Barnes and Noble
End of the Game
Current price: $15.99
Barnes and Noble
End of the Game
Current price: $15.99
Size: CD
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previously used the name
for a solo cassette in 2011, then debuted the band of the same name with a 7" EP of
-indebted lo-fi rock songs in 2016. An entirely different lineup of the band recorded
, the first
full-length, and by this point the project had developed into a lushly arranged prog-pop unit. Joined by
's
and two members of
(
and
),
pens soft, heartfelt semi-orchestral pop tunes with fractured rhythms and unexpected detours. Opener "Homeowners" sets the stage with jumpy rhythms which completely pause in order to showcase
's brief yet overstuffed verses. Undoubtedly influenced by
, the group rehearsed these songs to death and recorded them live in the studio without overdubs. Instead of being imposingly abrasive or inscrutably cryptic, however,
's songs are more gentle and heartfelt. His vocals are feather-soft, and his lyrics, while sometimes abstract, can also be nakedly sentimental. It's not always a puzzle of stop-start trickiness, either; songs like "Players of the Field" and "There's a Party" have more easygoing, straightforward rhythms, and are even a bit catchy. On numbers such as "Classifieds Strings" and "End of the Game,"
is accompanied by delicate string arrangements rather than the full band, and two solo piano instrumentals add to the album's sophisticated feel.
is complex but not discordant; it never seems like
is trying to out-weird anyone or attack the listener with an over-abundance of sounds. It could've ended up a jumble of an album if it wasn't so tightly composed, well arranged, and cleanly recorded. ~ Paul Simpson