The songs on
the Curious Digit
's
Hessian Hills
are dark and brooding. The follow-up to
Bombay Aloo
raised eyebrows in the
experimental
indie rock
scene with the band's energized variation of epic and unpredictable
rock
. The Charlottesville, VA, quartet created more promising and eerily subtle music on this disc, their second full-length release. Most of the band's songs were penned by
Adam Busch
, later of
Manishevitz
.
Busch
's vocals are reminiscent of
Conor Oberst
of
Bright Eyes
. His voice has the rare ability to translate powerful emotions in a relaxed and mellow style.
Parker Paul Wilkinson
added some unforgettable keyboard sequences to the disc. The songs are all different, each a roller coaster of emotions with a folky or
backdrop.
"Parachute"
is more downbeat than most of the songs, all of which are churning and emotional.
"Erase"
is hypnotic, while
"Last Season"
starts off somber and transforms into an uplifting epic and
"Within a Jar"
is a precise and sly
folk
classic. The disc ends with
"Covet These,"
a relaxed yet lively album-closer. Released in 1997, the album was recorded by
Geoff Turner
at
WGNS Studio
and by
Ian Jones
Evil Genius Studios
The Curious Digit
disbanded soon after the album's release on
Jagjaguwar Records
. ~ Stephen Cramer