Go find Shot Forth Self Living. Listen to it for weeks on end. Your life will change. You will experience music in a completely different light. Then seek out the rest of Medicine's catalog, and prepare to change your mind about how you listen to music. Then ponder how damn quiet the mastermind behind the band Medicine has been.

Damn shame, isn't it?

As long as the genius is happy doing what he's doing...or not doing, then I really don't waste my time "missing" an artist. All in due time, kid. All in due time.

You won't find any Medicine-style shoegazing or noise on Brad Laner's Neighbor Singing. Hell, you wouldn't think this guy had anything to do with Medicine or any other kind of noise-based alt-rock scene, because the music found upon Neighbor is so quiet, so gentle, so peaceful compared to his younger, extremely louder days...but guess what? His sound might be quieter, but the song writing style is nearly the same.

Let's examine "Lovely World." Sure, you're hearing him pluck a guitar, you're hearing the sound of empty space, and you're hearing gorgeous vocal harmonies, but if you listen closely to the little sonic gadgets and do-dads, and you compare them to those blisteringly distorted, loud guitars from the 1990s, you'll quickly realize that they're exactly the same thing. See, Laner could be loud, he could destroy your eardrums with some power chords and some distortion, but he chose not to. He chose to demonstrate that, underneath the noise and effects, he's a really good writer and composer, one who is adept at writing catchy melodies. "June Gloom" not catchy enough for you? Just skip back to "Out Cold." But he also teases the longtime with a hint of those great.

Isn't that great?

Laner could have made Neighbor Singing into something noisy. But he didn't. Instead, he focused the energy on making something pleasant, something gorgeous, something that doesn't coast on his storied reputation. He's not laying on his laurels, either. He could blast your brain into aural heaven, but gorgeous harmonies and melodies are so much more compelling, wouldn't you say?

I do.

Listen To: "Lovely World"

Neighbor Singing is available now on Hometapes

Labels: Brad Laner, Home Tapes

posted by joseph kyle @ 1:03 PM

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