Best Tracks: Diamond Skull, In the Wonder, Images of Love
FCC Violations: Diamond Skull
Okay…A.A. Bondy…what can I say? His new record Enderness was my first experience with the artist. After doing some mindless “computer research,” it turns out this is his first record in eight years but I have to say it’s excellent though its musical foundations are usually not my cup of tea, coming from a heavy all-around rock and metal background.
Initially, I felt a cerebral vibe from the record and come to find out, that’s Bondy’s niche. Though the Alabama folk singer/songwriter has turned to more electronic devices, leaving guitars few and far between for this outing, the record still boasts his in-depth analysis of the social times we are currently surrounded with, tackling big pharma, the internet, and the environment.
With the subject matter and ensuring implementation, the record could easily come off as gimmicky but it doesn’t. Instead, it takes the listener on a euphoric ride of fluidity and melancholy – you know, the kind that makes you sad but good at the same time.
As a lover of guitar instrumentation, I’d have to say the first song ‘Diamond Skull’ was my favorite. Somewhere between a blend of blues, the old west, and a splash of Frusciante, this song is a heavy-hitter. The chorus takes you on an ascending, slow ride from the initial “Oh la la,” and the singing out of text and internet acronyms O.M.G. and L.M.A.O.
“In the Wonder” was another cool song. The vocal tracks had a tremolo effect through its entirety, giving them that bouncy and wavy feel that normally go to an instrument in the rhythm section via stompbox.
Even though I’m in unfamiliar territory, I feel that naming my least favorite song is splitting hairs at this point. The record really is fantastic but if I had to name one it would be “I’ll Never Know.” I felt the synthesizer, even though it was the prominent sound of this album, was used as a quick escape in notching on another track.
Overall, Enderness was excellent and I’m glad this record made its way into my realm. I like that feeling of finding an artist I’ve never heard before so I can take a light jog down their discography.
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Justin Capoccia
