"Hussalonia is a pop music cult. Pop music does not mean popular." Cryptic words from a cryptic man. That being said, we don't know much about Hussalonia or its origins, only that it was started by a Buffalo, NY native who refers to himself as, "the founder."
In the early to mid 2000s, the founder became disillusioned by the saturation of bands into the social media market... so much so that he wanted to distance himself from the fray as much as he possibly could. Although Hussalonia is mostly the work of one man, the founder calls his musical outlet a "cult" in an effort to further distance himself from the sad state of commercialism in the music industry (I feel like I'm describing The Polyphonic Spree or something).
Okay, so this guy is cryptic. But what we are allowed to know is this - Hussalonia's Double Fantasy is a collection of 60's influenced pop that reminds me a lot of the Beatles, or maybe even the straightforward power pop of other solo-ish projects like Jason Schwartzman's Coconut Records or even Ted Leo. His songs are short and sweet and vaguely metaphorical, mixing social commentary and subtle word play to create pure indie-pop without any vapid pretentiousness.
The first three songs on the album don't even add up to two minutes in length, and it quickly becomes apparent that Hussalonia is fond of these short, oddly hooky songs. "Plaza Parking Lot at Night" starts off with a classic piano riff to launch into an approximately 30 second rant - "a dollar store, a shower door, how could any American want more?" Next is the fuzzed out "Dead Man's Suit," which could probably have been "Twist and Shout" in another life time - again, the song is over after barely 20 seconds. The founder isn't shy about his love for short songs, he says: "As a listener, I love what a too-short song does to me. There's this feeling of, 'What just happened?' It's exciting and also a little confusing."
We see this theme throughout Double Fantasy, but it's an endearing quality. It almost forces the listener to approach his entire album all at once. Despite having 11 songs, Double Fantasy clocks in at just about 15 minutes. At the risk of making a horrible, hackneyed metaphor, his music seems to work like a jigsaw puzzle - it just doesn't feel complete without each little piece. Every song leaves you wanting just a little bit more closure or a little bit more explanation; the founder seems to enjoy challenging not only his listeners, but also himself - after all, isn't it more better to be unsatisfied than dissatisfied?
For a man who claims to be a pop musician, that sure sounds like the antithesis of pop... and sure, I'll be honest, I prefer a 3:30 song with a verse, chorus, bridge, and big epic climax. but when the founder drops his intelligent and clever poetry into a 47 second song, I am left with a pleasant taste in my mouth. Take "Tell That To a Beginner" for example - "No sin is original, tell that to a sinner. The end is really no big deal, tell that to a beginner." Forget the traditional pop song structure - it's these short fortune-like lines that allow these songs to really speak. And yes, it's still unabashedly pop music... and I guess when it comes down to it, it's not really just a pleasant taste that's left in my mouth, it's pretty damn delicious.
One of the album standouts is "Words That Mean Nothing but Are Pleasant To Hear." The founder comes really close to pop bliss here, and drops one of my favorite lines on Double Fantasy: "Opium for molasses. A public school kid in religion classes. Give me something sweet and slow and meaningless. Words that mean nothing, but are pleasant to hear." But my favorite song on the album is "The Questions Still Entertain Me." For the first time in this batch of songs, the founder threatens to break the two minute mark, and actually features a chorus. I can't help but get excited - the song is catchy as hell and the chorus is absolutely worth repeating. To give clout to my Beatles comparison, he even references John and the walrus in this particular jam - I have a feeling Lennon would have liked this stuff.
Even towards the end of the album, Double Fantasy never disappoints. "I Am the Window to Your Soul" finds the founder at his most experimental, locking into an almost tribal-like hand clap, foot stomp, and percussion groove. Added instrumentation from swung vocal "oohs" and what sounds like guitar feedback (it could actually be a clarinet) add to the mystique. Finally, Double Fantasy hits its longest song, the album closer "Waiting Still," clocking in at a whopping 2:52. A quietly strummed baritone ukelele supports the founder's slurred and gentle delivery until a tambourine and that clarinet I was talking about earlier peek their head into the song. Eventually the founder eventually sends us off the way he came, just him and his ukelele closing out Double Fantasy.
I appreciate what the founder is doing here. I like the idea of Hussalonia as a cult. I like his mysterious persona. And I can definitely appreciate and respect his interesting pedagogy when it comes to writing and promoting his music. But behind all of that, it's important to also recognize that the founder is a legitimately talented pop songwriter who has managed to write a truly unique offering. Double Fantasy is a pop album, and yet it doesn't adhere to any of the stereotypes of the genre... The founder challenges it all. But then again, who decided the parameters of "pop" anyways?
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