Steak and Cake records and buffaBLOG have that "special" sort of relationship. We really love and respect each others' work. Okay... maybe I shouldn't be putting words in S&C's mouth; it's just that we here at the BLOG just happen to love pretty much everything they put out. This time around, I'm referring to a solo offering from Johnny Nobody frontman Andy Vaeth - it's called Sad Synthetic Sounds.
What I love about EP's like Sounds is that they're often projects that seem like they would never see the light of day unless someone was like, "No dude, you're talented. These have to get done." Musicians often have this ridiculous back catalogue of songs that either don't match their "main band" or just never really click as a full-band song. They unfortunately usually just end up locked up in the back of someone's mind somewhere while work/school eats up their creative energy. Either that, or they can't afford/don't have the time to record more than 4 songs at a time.
... But that's not the case with Sad Synthetic Songs. Here Vaeth takes approximately 20 minutes and gives himself the opportunity to spread his wings from the gritty blues/psychedelic punk of Johnny Nobody. In fact, "Fading Photographs," the opening track on SSS, starts out with an acoustic guitar and what sounds like bottles or crystals getting tapped on rhythmically - a far cry from the beer-soaked distortion we might be accustomed to hearing from Johnny Nobody. There's actually a deep groove to "Photographs" that's augmented by the drawl of Vaeth's vocals - but all in all, most of the instrumentation is sad synths, acoustic guitar, clinking crystals, and even a low droning guitar.
"Photographs" is followed up by the alt-country-tinged "Never Make a Sound." I hate to be so straightforward, but this song is delightful. It's a simple song really. There is a pleasant acoustic guitar riff joined by some tasteful synth in the chorus and (what I think is) a synthesized drumbeat. "Delightful, tasteful, pleasant..." I wish I could think of a few better words to describe Vaeth's stuff, but how else can you describe something that puts you in an outright good mood? Same goes for the Honorary Title-esque waltz of "Rest." Somehow Vaeth has truly nailed the mixing and the instrumentation in these songs. There is NEVER any random guitar shredding or even an out of place synth wave. He's stumbled upon some algorithm consisting of vocal "oohs," chimes and bells, and an ever-present acoustic guitar... and it makes for perfect indie pop all-around.
"Where You Belong" has some of the the sparsest instrumentation on SSS, and yet, it comes the closest to the bluesy-rock of Johnny Nobody territory. It's tough to put my finger on because of all the reverb, keyboard accents, and other synthesized stuff, but Vaeth falls into a funky guitar groove accented by an almost dissonant guitar entrance to every chorus. It's a departure from the rest of SSS, but a welcome one, adding a bit of variety to the otherwise airy indie pop that this EP has to offer.
Vaeth nails it again on the closing track to Sad Synthetic Sounds, "All the Change in My Pocket." A piano with delay on it repeats wistfully throughout the verses, and once the drums kick in, this song sounds like it might fit perfectly on Radiohead's In Rainbows (at least to me). I know making comparisons to Radiohead is dangerous territory, especially when I described the majority of this album as "indie pop," but I swear, it must be that magic algorithm again. Vaeth finds a way to mix seemingly commonplace instruments in a way that encourages a sort of urgent vibe. Even when everything is "pleasant" (like in "Never Make a Sound"), there's always some sort of longing present in Vaeth's half-mumble, half-drawl, but totally-beautiful-and-soulful voice.
And let me just say, thanks to Steak & Cake for always giving me good records to write about.
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