Holy Sons - I Want to Live a Peaceful Life
(Film Guerrero)
Daron gave I Want To Live a Peaceful Life to me with a smile and a "let me know what you think." I played it once, and told him I'd love to write something up about it. This album, the 4th solo album by alt-folk singer songwriter Emil Amos, had an interesting effect on me. On the very first listen, I found myself thinking, "Wow! This is pretty good!" Then, on the next listen, I had to double check to make sure I was listening to the right CD. It seemed completely different. When I mentioned this phenomenon to Daron, he laughed. Apparently, he had had a similar experience, only it seemed intolerably longer to him than its thirty-one plus minutes.
I have listened to ...Peaceful Life again and again, hoping for that initial "Wow!" What I have discovered, however, is that there are a few songs here worthy of note, but otherwise, it fades to background noise. The first track, "Trivialized", is catchy and very Pavement sounding. We both agreed that it is our favorite track. I bet it could even get radio play. I also liked "Getting Old", because of the Western flair. "Desire" showcases Emil Amos' abilities and is also more aggressive.
Pondering this, I think the album, as a whole, might be too vocal oriented. Emil Amos has a beautiful voice, but the rhythm is askew and there is this breathy quality that makes it difficult to breathe while listening. There are parts of each song that I like, but each song, as a whole, doesn't quite muster. It is more like a void than a vacuum, because there is a lack of movement; you don't get sucked into this CD. I don't think it's supposed to be as uneasy as it makes you feel.
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