Known more for Woolen Men and their excellent Singles Club releases, Portland Oregon's Lawton Browning gathers a collective for his Change Life project. There can be no better liaison than its appearance on the excellent Meritorio Records label.
There is the joy of Intelligent Indie with a social conscience. The album feels a little 80s, but I'm only thinking of bands and artists who took chances in that decade. At times, a little Japan in touch and certainly a Talking Heads in feel.
That Talking Heads in feel is most notable on the opener, Smile, but the whole album is built on hypnotic gripping arrangements that aren't afraid of changing direction. For instance, there is a real Funk to Beyond Control that is addictive.
Eden Express is built on a Gabrels like Guitar Orchestra, yet vocally has more in common with Ska and those Guitars even get a little Psych. From Zero To One gets close to something off English Settlement and At Last I'm Free could be King Crimson and yet is choral.
The album is experimental, yet never up itself. The arrangements are deep, drawing you in. It is an incredible listen, deep and reflective, a sum of its parts, but centring on Browning's wonderful songwriting. An incredibly inventive debut.
You can listen to and buy the album here. It is available on Vinyl and as a download.
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