The Dead Western – Everything, Eternally
On a first impression, Dead Western’s songs appeared to be rather simple. But repeated listens subtlely revaled a big world underneath the surface unfodling its musical complexety with instruments and harmonies sneaking in and out. Driven by a low pitch voice (often with multiple layers of vocals harmonies stacked on top), I had expected a lute or a harp, but it’s orchestrated more classically with guitar and glockenspiel and some tamboruine and percussions here and there flowing along peacefully.
The style of the singing is a little too much from time to time. If I hadn’t listened to this as an mp3, I would have at least checked twice, if the record runs at the correct speed. Deep and guttural vocals paired with an odd falsetto every now and then that sounds a little too forced at times. Strangely enough I happen to realize that I’m humming these melodies unconciously. It seems, my experience with Dead Western is similar to my past ones with Joanna Newsom or Kate Bush (although both don’t have that much in common) – at first I was really put off by their voices but grew really fond of them. It’s the same with this Dead Western material – their melodies soemtimes take strange routes, little odditities that stay stuck.
It’s a really strange experience. I seem to listen to this album quite often and although I can’t really make any (emotional or intellectual) connection to the material, I’m more and more fascinated by it. It’s like being just a visitor to this odd musical world that consist of strange little things. But on the other hand it is not strange enough to being an totally alienating experience – lots of rather poppy melodies drift in and out. In a good way, I’m left completely unsure with this album.
