Chris Cohen - Paint A Room

 

I was always a fan of Deerhoof, so I feel really guilty about missing out on Chris Cohen until now, his fourth solo album. Paint A Room is adorned with magnificent unusual inventive arrangements that make you beat yourself up more about missing out on his previous three solo offerings.

Falling somewhere between a less character focussed Ward White and a less 60s orientated Mark Bacino. There is incredible depth. Yet on listening to the opener, Damage, you wouldn't be castigated for thinking this is a Jazzy Lounge album with its complex instrumentation.

Then you hear the title track with its Flute arrangement than leads into a mellow almost Costello vocal followed by the jaunty 60s Folk of Sunever with its hint of Pastoral Psych Pop and you know you are in for quite a ride.

Laughing is very experimental but heads into what is almost Prog. Wishing Well instrumentally mixes Dream Pop, 80s like Gravitas Pop and a riff that Robert Tripp would not be ashamed of.  Night Or Day has a lightness that you expect to break into Jangle Pop, another fine arrangement, almost jaunty.

Physical Address again edges towards Jazz and Prog without ever losing its melodic sensibility. At times, it seems like Cohen has raided the instrument cupboard, but all add effectively and generously to the arrangement.

This isn't the crash bang Guitar pop that you might expect from us. It is an album that will take more than one listen, but it is absolutely hypnotic. Such depth and talent has to be admired greatly. It maybe shows that we have come a long way from our just Power Pop days, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Paint A Room is a total musical education.

You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl, CD and as a download.

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