According to Oakland quartet Griddle, the title Klimty Favela is a reference to the idea that the world is "destined to become a surreal, lawless, and oddly Byzantine slum." If that apocalypse is to the soundtrack of Griddle's third effort, it can't come soon enough. The recording process behind Klimty Favela is quite unique. After recording what was originally rough improvisational sessions with only a single microphone "placed haphazardly" in the middle of the room, vocalist/keyboardist Kevin Seal essentially forged compositions by cutting and pasting together sections of those improvisations. He along with vocalist/guitarist Xifer Fortier then wrote lyrics to these compositions, creating a collection of astonishingly coherent songs.
The initial reason for why Klimty Favela's experiment works so well is the seamless addition of the percussive work of Chris McGrew and the bass lines of Kimo Ball. At times, the improvisational demo can be heard unaccompanied - and it does sound quite rough. Yet as a full band, the listener is never let in on the secret that the skeletons of these tracks were, to an extent, created randomly. Regardless of how tight this album is musically, as soon as Fortier roars out the hook to "City Made of Teeth," it becomes obvious that the vocals are the lasting reason of why this album never allows the listener to become bored. Sharing lead vocal duties, Seal and Fortier do their best to sound different on nearly every track. From the falsetto-infused voice of "Picket Fence Grill," to the hilarious optimism found in "Theme from the 1984 Olympic Games," to the deep growls of "Mrs. Jones's Molars," Seal remains incredibly fresh in every offering. While mostly subdued, Fortier similarly stretches his voice and offers several hilarious one-liners, such as "Prison was a gateway drug to Jesus." Their cover of the Monkee's "Porpoise Song" also fits surprisingly well as a closer, leaving the listener with a very recognizable melody to further remove any notion that the album contained improvisational compositions.
In addition to covering their own instruments, all four members of Griddle contribute to the album by playing several other instruments, including mellotron, horns, and accordion. The talent of this band alone makes this album a must-listen - and when combined with their ambition and imagination, Klimty Favela becomes an album that must be listened to many, many, many times.
