againstnoise:

Fort Lauderdale to Portland is quite the hike.  But change is nothing foreign to Malcom Lacey.  Whether it’s a change in scenery or his music, Lacey is constantly evolving.  After his trip to SXSW, Lacey, who releases all of his music through the moniker “Arrange”, gave me the opportunity to discuss both his recent and upcoming projects.  Lacey’s most recent release, “Five Years With the Sun”, is the follow-up to his breakthrough record, “Plantation”.  Both records can be streamed and downloaded via Bandcamp.

“Five Years With the Sun” shows quite a bit of experimentation, in comparison to “Plantation”. What sort of approach did you have during the recording of the new EP? What was different?

ML: Ya know, it’s always sort of hard for me to go through what it was like for me when I was writing these tracks, but often time it starts with an instrumental and an overarching emotion I want to convey. In that way the process for making Five Years With The Sun was very much the same as Plantation. But as far as the sound, I really wanted to experiment in ambient music a little more. I wanted that to become a part of my song structure. 

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againstnoise:

Jagjaguwar seems to be proving that if you’re looking for young, folk-inspired isolationists, you really have to look no further than their label.  Don’t get me wrong, their artists seem to have it down—and it works. Can we really be surprised that an artist like Sharon Van Etten has joined their roster? 

 Van Etten began garnering attention with her previous two albums, Because I Was in Love and Epic, both of which explored similar themes (love, heartbreak, I-hate-my-ex-boyfriend) as her newest full-length release, Tramp.

 Tramp comes out swinging with quite the crew.  The record seemed to be destined to have a grand sound, as it was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner and features multiple appearances from the likes of Matt Barrick (The Walkmen), Julianna Barwick, Zach Condon (Beirut), Bryce Dessner (The National) and Jenn Wasner (Wye Oak), among others.

 Both “Warsaw”and “Serpents,” two of the first three tracks, call for an angst-filled indie rock album (which is quite misleading), most clearly recognizable in Serpents, the album’s first single.  Van Etten’s confessional lyricisms (“Close in on my black eye/I feel safe at times”) foreshadow her rarely expressed, enraged demeanor (“You enjoy sucking on dreams/so I will fall asleep with someone other than you”). 

 Van Etten quickly transforms Tramp into a beautiful, more passive lull that you would expect from an artist whose vocal patterns and honesty are so reminiscent of Leslie Feist.  On a track such as “In Line, Van Etten is able to use her voice as an instrument, creating melody and diverting attention away from lyrics that aren’t entirely necessary to the essence of the song.

 Van Etten andZach Condon perform their alluring duet in “We Are Fine,” the eighth track of the record.  They expose just how well they can create vocal harmony with soothing couplets (“Tell me not to trip or to lose sight/You are walking in my guided light”).

 In the final two tracks, “I’m Wrong” and “Joke Or a Lie,” Van Etten creates the most intimate experience of the album in quite the depressive fashion, with her vulnerable and arguably delusional lyrics.  In “I’m Wrong,” Van Etten cries, “Tell me I’m right. Tell me I’m funny—even when I’m not.  It rings and I feel your sum in the odds.”  The record ends with Van Etten’s fading vocals (“Call it a joke or a lie/Put your coat on, then believe me/I tried.).  

Some of the music industry’s most high profile artists appear to be rallied behind Van Etten—and rightfully so.  She is three full-length records into the game with no colossal missteps.  Both the LP’s cover and gatefold centerpiece are a tribute to John Cale, both solo artist and one of the founding members of The Velvet Underground.

Ultimately, this is another record proving that heartbreak and mental anguish can certainly sound beautiful, especially when the record is composed by sad people with beards and sweaters. Do not overlook Tramp, however, as it is one of the most impressive records of 2012, thus far.

Standout Tracks: “Serpents”, “In Line”, “I’m Wrong”, “Joke Or a Lie”

RIYL: Feist, The Walkmen, The National, PJ Harvey, self-deprecation

80% 

-K. Stone