Attics and the avant pop spiritual androgyny of "Public Universal Friend"

 

"I don’t mean to rain on your recent revelations / I’ve had enough of all your declarations...."

Brooklyn-based Attics has distilled the story of 18th century non-binary pioneer, Jemima Wilkinson’s transformation into the genderless preacher Public Universal Friend, whose story is fascinating, I have left the Wikipedia link below and hope you delve in. Interestingly, before I know the back story of the song "Public Universal Friend" (which is the title track of Attics new EP of the same name) and swirls gently with glockenspiel bell sounds, pop synth orchestrations, gentle beautifully dreamy Farfisa-esque keys, shifting drum machine patterns, somber eclectic guitar lines and Attics measured self aware vocal aesthetic (made more dreamy by self sung harmonies), I thought the song was about a relationship that turned from lover to only the friend zone but in a deep way "I don't answer to that name anymore . . . I am that I am." Now Jemima's transformation did involve abstinence (like Quakers of that time) and as Public Universal Friend when the question of gender arose PUF would say "I am that I am". 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Universal_Friend

Attics bedroom pop is so well rendered. He has his signature sound sculpted and polished in such an artful way. I would, without hesitation, dive into the EP "Public Universal Friend" and if you like it, show some love, purchase it. One thing that I love about Attics' songs are the breath and scope of his lyrical content and the way he looks at things. He turns his poetry sideways I suppose which accentuates his sound that always seems (to me) to be dipped in certain degrees of sadness. It is funny, I have covered Attics many times over and while he does not sound like John Lennon when I listen to his songs I think of that Beatle. I don't know why that is but I like that I do. Down below is another album tease, in "Endless Loop".

-Robb Donker Curtius

Attics · Public Universal Friend

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Attics · Endless Loop

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:

https://atticsmusic.com/

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A group of friends who met in summer camp as the house band for a musical about Woodstock 1969, the members of Brooklyn-based Attics have been making music together for decades. In 2013, they released Time Is Falling, their first record as Attics. Since then they have continued to sporadically release music into the digital ether with little pomp and even less circumstance. Drawing inspiration from Brazilian Tropicalia, British Invasion, NYC art rock, and early electronic music, Attics makes music you can sing along to if you don’t mind odd lyrics and the occasional glockenspiel. 

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Attics, Brooklyn, singer-songwriter, producer, collaborative, indie pop, indie rock, alternative pop, orchestral pop, 70's pop tones, new EP "Public Universal Friend"