A Gondola Ride For Two

I’ve recently had my senses accosted, mostly at my own request, by groups that have thrown everything and the dirty dish filled sink at me. I wonder how actual critics do this, of course monetary reimbursement for my endeavors would ease the pain. But to ease the nature of my efforts sans hazard pay, I am  rewarded with the goose down pillow for my weary head that is Venice is Sinking.

That’s a good way to introduce my current muse, and their recent release Azar. This was another I was skeptical about, as I’ve been seemingly bombarded by a glut of noise rock affairs, with the obligatory disenchanted shoegaze vocals. One wiff of their sound and I thought I was in for another chore of a listen, as the song Azar One starts in a typical experimental phase, with traditional electrical buzzes and hums, followed by monotone synths, and a creeping paced allegro build. Within the span of a couple songs, such as Ryan’s Song ands Okay, the album swings the bow quickly starboard side, and ventures into a pop friendly area that I found both intriguing and inviting.

The more I listened, the more I drew conscious similarities between the vocals of Daniel Lawson and Karolyn Troupe, as well as the scattered orchestration of accompanying horns, to one of my all time favorite albums in Belle and Sebastian’s, Dear Catastrophe waitress. While most of this album seems a bit more haunted than the aforementioned album, and perhaps resembles better the mood of their earlier works, I feel Belle had reached a pinnacle of blending pop music while maintaining a keen level of depth, accompanied by the observational and introspective lyricism they have proven mainstay.

I hear other influences as well as in some of the more ballady attempts of Coyne with the Flaming Lips, but over all, Venice is banking hard on a sound subtle, soothing, and warm like a glass of milk. I wouldn’t  classify this an album drenched in sadness, nor dark foreshadowing, with songs like Young Master Sunshine, this is a laid back disc that’ll wrap you like blanket, and make any chair a recliner.

Buy some better headphones, and listen to this album!

We reviewed this album as well as Fever Ray and Soundtrack of Our Lives this week in Ep 13.