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Blusom
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The Metapolitan
Second Nature Recordings
Release: 5/24/2005
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Rated:
Review by:
Melanie Moore
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The opening track sets up exactly what we should expect of this band. It is a short piece with unusual sounds flowing together in unusual ways. Blusom gets even stranger when you realize that it's a Denver duo created by Jme White of Acrobat Down, a post-hardcore band, and Mike Behrenhausen of surf-rock band Maraca Five-O. Anyone familiar with these two bands would never expect Blusom, the result of their collaboration, to be ambient experimental indie-pop.
From my perspective, Jme White must be an incredible creative mind. Behrenhausen writes the lyrics and composes the melody on the guitar, and then White creates the soundscapes using actual recorded sounds and electronic beats and synths on his computer. The result is a digital masterpiece known as The Metapolitan. This album exceeds all standards, and although these two may be an unusual duo; they are perfect for creating an original sound unlike anything else out there.
To say this album is anything short of genius is an understatement. It has successfully broken away from the traditional genres of any era, and everyone else who has heard them tends to agree. The Metapolitan wasn't a forced effort, it was slow and lazy and true. Each song is so dramatically different from the last that it forces the listener through a series of twists in emotion every few minutes with each changing song.
After listening to the album enough times to predict what's next and sing along, I can only attempt to describe the music to you. I suppose it could be explained as bittersweet and melancholy, ideal for listening at 2am on a chilly night. Then there are a few songs that contradict that statement like the violent "No Rivers, No Lips" or the random composition entitled "Gossamer Wasp Saves Himself."
"Versus Nightclubbing" offers up a completely electronic street sound and beat. On the other end, "Greens and Greys" is a beautiful combination and perhaps the best result of this unlikely duo. The last song on the album, "Undercurrents," is a rough recording with a humble sound. It's filled with somber tones and acoustic guitar that speaks only the truth and gives an insight to what was trying to be accomplished by these two guys this time around.
Listening to this album is somewhat like reading a book. It pulls you in and you don't want to stop listening until the end, and this is like one of those books you'll read again and again. I guarantee you'll discover something new the 27th time around; I'm on my 34th. |
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