Keith John Adams - Sunshine Loft
(DCBaltimore2012)
This is sparse, homemade novelty folk from British singer/songwriter Adams, apparently a Walthamstow neighbor of premiere bedroom recording artist, Nick (The Bevis Frond) Saloman. The childlike melodies and Adams' rudimentary vocal skills are aided greatly by the unusual arrangements and instrumentation (including accordion, toy piano, saw, and glockenspiel) that he and his friends play up in drummer Dave Ross' loft. Leadoff track "Sunshine" benefits from the theremin-like warblings of Rhodri Marsden's saw playing, while "Sit Over There"'s a capella vocals are accompanied only by Adams and his toy piano. The enthusiastic "Looking At Pictures" is an odd marriage of early-period Ray Davies and late-period Syd Barrett, and the carnival-like atmosphere of "Flood" recalls the best of Neutral Milk Hotel. The stop/start staccato attack of "Drift" would sit comfortably on The Clash's debut album.
Most of all, it's the weirdo, loner folk of fellow loonies, Brother JT, Jandek, Billy Childish, the Mountain Goats' John Darnielle, and Michigan avant-folkster, Wally Pleasant that springs to mind throughout these short, occasionally clever, and not altogether unpleasant melodies. Adams' pleasant demeanor is another plus - he's obviously having a good time up in his Sunshine Loft, and you will too if you enjoy low-fi, stripped down, bare bones, minimalistic home recordings.
There's even a throwback to the old Pearls Before Swine/Green Pajamas' trick of listening to the entire album rewind (or fast forward as the case may be) in the closing track, "This Album."
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