Depressive Art- Bye Bye Dear Everything
(Wonderland Records wonderd06)
Depressive Art- Bye Bye Dear Everything
(Wonderland Records wonderd06)
From Aural Innovations #39 (May 2008)
Depressive Art are a fairly new band from Göteborg with a really old
sound.. The band want to be like from the late 60’s with influences from
the psychedelic side of the Stones and the Doors, but in general they have heard
a lot of the slick side of Swedish popular acts and take a little too much of
this influence in, sadly… Have they heard Sound Track of our Lives?? A
few times…. Not that they sound like them all the time but the way they
make their semi-retro thing more radio friendly… The singer has quite
a cool dark and deep voice. Anyway, let’s get into the record. Solar System,
the opening track, is totally STOOL like. How to Breathe is a more bluesy track
with harmonica and some high pitched complementing vocals to the deep lead vocal.
Psychedelic Ghost Ride is a fast paced track with the singer really belting
out the vocals and the psychy keyboard line that comes in and out of the track,
is quite cool. Dear Everything is a slower ballad like track that sounds a bit
like Dylan to start with and a very melancholy vibe. Breastfed Lies keeps things
downbeat and the singer really sings in a different vibe on this track. His
gothic roots showing. Beautiful song. Season for Regret is a pretty ordinary
uptempo song. It does not speak to me. Old Man’s Quarter is a great song
with lots of cool elements and the first track on the CD where they sort of
jam it out a bit. On United Cosmos the singer changes style to a more radio friendly
style but the vocals are a bit psychedelic with the way the backing vocals float
into the sound. Sadly, the band leaves very little space in their songs for
any of the members to really play. There is few guitar, keyboard or other solos
of any type until the last track. They speak of doing a lot of jamming in the
rehearsal room in the interview on the web but none of that is reflected on
the CD. All tracks are tightly composed and no jamming or solos at all until
the end of the CD. On Solid Ground begins with a piano and vocal but soon picks
up, but the piano plays a large part in the track. If you listen you will notice
the trombone as well. This track fades directly into Solid Ground part 2 and
the band get psychedelic for the first time on the CD and does some cool jamming
with the organ and guitar as the acoustic guitar keeps strumming and the rest
of the band keeps the mellow groove going. You can hear the Roland space echo
effects in the background as well. Nice way to end the CD.
Check out the record label web site at: http://www.wonderlandrecords.com
Check out the band web site at: http://www.depressiveart.com/
Reviewed by Scott Heller