AP Track Review
I Don't by singer songwriter and folk provocateur Stone Irr and from his full length "Performance" feels like a lovely vacation to far off lands. There is an indie dreamy tone like it exists in a sky made of cotton balls and paper flying vehicles. There is a whimsical aspect, a 70's chamber pop tone, propelled by the reverbed vox and interlocking guitars and what sounds like a pump organ. The track sits top of the middle and the next track Move feels more indie rock and really rock for a self described folk artist. The next track Calm with it's ambience and avant garde leanings, orchestration, pounding door percussion, dour turns feeling like something oddly between George Gershwin and Thom Yorke adds yet another unique flavor. Amazing. Interesting. Folk, my ass.
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Robb Donker
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
Stone Irr’s new, second album 'Performance' is equal parts heart-on-the-sleeve Midwestern indie and warm, West Coast pop, reflecting the artist's Indiana upbringing and recent move to Los Angeles.
Stone's growth as an artist, songwriter, and arranger since his 2017 debut album 'Sinner' is obvious on the standout track "All We Want Anymore." The song features a bright, Beatles-like melodic structure and a cascading finale of strings and horns that pushes Stone's voice deep into the mix.
That voice, often multi-tracked with layers of harmonies, is Stone Irr's defining quality. It floats through the record, at times whispered and ethereal and at others gritty and broken, reminiscent of Thom Yorke, Jessica Pratt, Jens Lekman, and Sufjan Stevens.
Lyrically, Stone meditates on "performance" as the relationship between observer and observed. This metaphor allows him to explore the modern experience of hyper-connected isolation caused by "sharing your life on the screen" (Nose Dive), and the delicate nature of self knowledge ("I'm more selfish than I thought", Cheer Up).
'Performance' also features essential, thoughtful production and beautiful performances from Mark Edlin and Ben Lumsdaine (Kevin Krauter, Major Murphy, Steve Marino) and album art by William Schaff (Okkervil River, Songs: Ohia).
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