In 2007 three mates were living together in the apartment on the bank of a picturesque river meandering through one small university town in the Michigan state. Some hours after first meeting they had shared their own music and ideas with each other and the night had been spent with a huge jam session. Their aim was to express the touch of humanity and the presence of nature through their music, in a direct way opposing to despair and fatigue in people distinctive for life in the big cities. The ideas came to reality, and the band was born. At first they had named yourself as Ringo Star, later changed it as ***, and starstarstar as well.
The first side in the name of electric goose and the nylon moose (EGATNM) refers to a flirt with electric and electronic music, and the second side to the acoustic aspect presented on this album respectively. The trio consisting on Chuck Golda, Mike McConeghy, Dylan Rogers has turned their aesthetical direction a 180 degree- a bevy of alt-folk and alt-country tunes dominated on Soul Tide released in 2008 (actually being of Ringo Star at those times) has been decreased to be changed into a bit broader spectre of the music colours and genres. Beyond doubt EGATNM is a pretentious follow-up surprising us with developments in unexpected or even weird directions at times.
Golden Glow is an exploiting opening - dynamic and dreamy indie folk is flavoured with strong ingredients of soul music. Certainly it is the best choice to introduce all the album in a tease yet beautiful way. Reciprocity is a synthetic soul funk engendered from the velvety accords of electric pianos, autotuned vocals, and shimmering sonic whirls. Although Antientam, and the ending track To Good Memories! are the ballads, yet, these cuts are without of any void and disgraceful show-offs usually so characteristics to this music genre . By vocal technical side the tracks are superb as well. With warblings of the grasshoppers, and looping vocal sequences/experiments showed up on Island even if those could indeed be reminiscent of the songs of Animal Collective, though, this feeling is strongly amiable. Fellowship grows gradually through psychedelic electronic sounds into a folktronic symphony. This is a real masterpiece in itself.
Supposing that if a lot of variety and experimentation don`t disturb the harmony and its developments it actually could only strenghten the whole one throwing in it a invisible yet endearing backcloth. Every time to listen to this from start to the end it is a little miracle. Obviously it is the best free-folk/alt-folk/weird-folk album released since Paavoharju`s insuperable album Laulu Laakson Kukista. I have a feeling that I can foresee electric goose and the nylon moose will rule the charts of netaudio in the end of the running year.
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9.8
