(from page 42 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 22 May 2012, issue 1225)

(from page 43 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 8 May 2012, issue 1223)

(from page 48 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 25 April 2012, issue 1221)

(from page 40 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 11 April 2012, issue 1219)

(from page 45 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 28 March 2012, issue 1217)

(from page 45 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 14 March 2012, issue 1215)

(from page 53 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 22 February 2012, issue 1212)

(from page 42 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 1 February 2012, issue 1209)

(from page 47 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 18 January 2012, issue 1207)

(from page 47 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 11 January 2012, issue 1206)

(from page 46 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 30 November 2011, issue 1202)

(from page 48 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 16 November 2011, issue 1200)

Read my review here on Tone Deaf!

I am now officially Inpress’s fornightly EP reviews columnist!
(from page 48 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 6 October 2011, issue 1194)

Read my review here on Tone Deaf!

Read my review here on SYN!

Read my review here on News Hit!

(from page 50 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 29 June 2011, issue 1180)

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(from page 48 of Inpress magazine, Wednesday 15 June 2011, issue 1178)

NOTE: It actually reads “EP Reviews with Bryget Chrisfield” in the issue because she normally writes the column but I’m filling in for her for a couple of weeks while she’s away. They just forgot to change it to my name in the template, but the words were all written by me!

Sufjan Stevens’ new EP All Delighted People is not like most EPs.

Firstly, it features eight songs, and runs for about an hour. Secondly, it has two vastly different versions of the same song, the title track (the Original Version and the Classic Rock Version). According to the official release, the epic ballad is “a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s Sounds of Silence”.

The EP opens with the original version of All Delighted People. Joined by the sweet, almost heavenly backing vocals of a choir, Stevens takes us on a twelve-minute-long journey through a multitude of emotions: hope, as the song begins with only the choir accompanying Stevens’ gentle crooning, and builds as strings are introduced; a quiet, repressed desperation as a brass section provides a slow, gloomy timbre; discordant sounds signifying dissatisfaction and loneliness; tenderness and a yearning for human connection (“And what difference does it make? / I love you so much anyway. / And on your breast I gently laid. / Your arms surround me in the lake, / I am joined with you forever”) through the soft fall and climb of the melody, Stevens’ breathy falsetto and the echoes of the choir; disillusionment through the repetition of “All delighted people raise their hands”; until finally, we feel a paradoxical mixture of apathy and anguish as Stevens wails, “I tried to save the things I made / Oh, but the world is a mess. / And what difference does it make if the world is a mess? / I tried my best, I tried in vain” and the song concludes with a somewhat unsettling screeching of violin cutting through the choir’s exclamation of “Suffer not the child among you or shall you die young”. Existential ennui indeed. The classic rock version of the song is commendable, but is largely overshadowed by the original version.

Stevens explores electronic effects and sounds more on this EP than on his previous releases. However, he has still managed to retain the whimsical, acoustic-folk charm that his fans adore about him. From the Mouth of Gabriel subtly exemplifies how Stevens is branching out from his classic style to incorporate eccentric electro noises into his arrangements. Among the nostalgic, tinkling toy piano, bird-like flute, and percussion reminiscent of children’s instruments, there are a few surprising synth sounds that are used sparingly but effectively. The lullaby-esque tone of the song contrasts with the lyrics, which suggest a kind of lost innocence or regret over the past: “Your face has changed, / I hardly know who you are this time. / And what a mess I’ve made of you. / You probably would but I won’t let you run away.”

The All Delighted People EP ends with the epic 17-minute-long jam Djohariah. During the first third of the song, an erratic guitar line is used as a character instead of a lead vocal line, which seems to get more and more frantic until the rhythm and feel of the song changes somewhat abruptly, before a reprise of the initial third, with added instruments. The verses begin at around the 12-minute mark, and Stevens’ incredible tone and control as he coos “Go on, little sister! Go on! / For the world is yours, the world is yours / All the wilderness of the world is yours to enjoy” is worth waiting for. Djohariah is another good example of how Stevens is mixing his well-loved signature indie-pop arrangements with a fresh, electronic edge.

Only three of the eight tracks on the EP are at or under four minutes long. However, Stevens’ song-writing renders length an irrelevant detail (for example, with Djohariah); the magic of his compositions is vastly due to the way he cleverly crafts and fits together the pieces and details to create a story. His lyrics read like poetry and the melodies in his songs work with each other; at times the instrumentation is bare or subtle, to emphasise the purity of Stevens’ vocals, and at times builds up to an almost overwhelming hurricane of sound. The thing with many of Stevens’ songs is that they sound simple on the surface, because of recurring main melody lines, but when you deconstruct the elements, the complexity of the song-writing is apparent. That’s what makes this EP, and indeed Stevens’ work in general, such a joy to listen to; each time you listen to a song, you are surprised by something you hadn’t noticed previously.

10/10

You can download All Delighted People EP off Sufjan Steven’s bandcamp page here, for US$5.

You can also click here to download a couple of free tracks (Too Much and I Walked) that are featured on Sufjan Steven’s highly anticipated upcoming album, The Age of Adz.

(Published on News Hit 19/09/10)

Artisan Guns’ debut EP, Bird and Bone, features a blend of intricate harmonies, swelling guitars and keys, and constantly shifting dynamics.

However, what sets the young and upcoming New Zealand four-piece apart from other folk-pop bands is their use of electronic effects, drum machines, and interweaving riffs to create an atmospheric sound which fully encapsulates the listener.

A perfect example of this is the first song on the EP, Tuesday Night. Lead vocalist Matthew Hope expresses a heartbreaking vulnerability and ache, as well as a kind of urgency and angst when he strains for some of the higher notes. The song also has three different time signatures, and some crazy syncopated rhythms, but this is not distracting and does not detract from the song in any way. Instead, the different parts transition smoothly into one another.

A recurring feature in the songs on Bird and Bone is a slow but steady build-up towards a crescendo. This feature can be found in the single, Autumn, which begins with a single guitar, and gradually introduces more and more instruments until the sounds become meshed together in the final chorus. For the ending of the song, the sounds are stripped back bit by bit, until all that is left is a haunting, harmonised, reverberating vocal line.

The sound quality of the EP seems slightly rough at times, but this just emphasises the emotions expressed by the band. It is not polished or even, and sometimes sounds similar to live sound.

The lyrics are often poignant. They are able to tell a story without being too detailed or specific, and in this way, many people could relate to them. The style is poetic and descriptive, especially in Autumn: “The naked autumn trees loom closer with the breeze / their limbs the bones that held our summer shade / I’m restless as the moon that covers us through June / with clouds that stretch and taint his evening gaze.” The combination of these lyrics with music results in some beautiful and resonating songs.

Overall, Bird and Bone is a wonderful debut EP that displays Artisan Guns’ potential for success in today’s music industry. Hopefully the band will become more recognised as it releases more of its music.

8/10

Label: EMI Records