By Nick Freed on May 15th, 2012 in
Family Perfume Vol. 2 is equal parts country folk, White Album-era Beatles, “See Emily Play” Pink Floyd, and the lo-fi aesthetic of someone like Elliott Smith all mixed together in the best way. Opening track “Groundskeeper Rag (Man’s Man)” has doubled and reverbed vocals that drip across the track like rolling lava, while Presley plays a simple arpeggio, then rages away on a guitar full of chorus and slap-echo. The song sputters and stops as it ends before the music shifts to a more upbeat bounce on “She Belief”, where Presley’s voice floats about like John Lennon’s once did. The synthesizer effect at the start of “I’d Sing” is one of the few sounds that make you remember this album was recorded in this decade and not 50 years ago.
Towards the middle, the record does sag from a heavy dose of Presley’s weird experimentation; however, with 15 songs that clock in at just over 40 minutes, that moment is short lived, and all is well with the beautiful, meditative exercise that is “Makers”. From there, it’s a melodic trip out and one that merits a revisit – that is, until Presley creates another volume of work. In the meantime, your best bet is to stick around here, open the windows, let in the night air, spark it up, and dig in. It’s going to feel great.
Essential Tracks: “Makers”, “She Belief”, and “Real Smiles”
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