Natural Dreamers - s/t
(Frenetic)
Guitarists John Dieterich and Chris Cohen and percussionist Jay Pelluci are purveyors of what could be a pretty innocuous sound. Natural Dreamers' instrumental compositions veer from scattered, abstract tinkering to raucous, fragmented rock, to lush, melodic segments, the sort of compositions that seem to either flow smoothly and seamlessly, or become jumbled messes that give the word "eclectic" a bad name. Here, the trio avoid such a heavy-handed, awkward mash and are able to create music that feels completely natural, no matter what shifts in style or tempo take place. A clatter that wouldn't seem out of place on a disc by Cohen & Dieterich's other outfit, Deerhoof, can easily become a more subdued affair in the span of only a few seconds. These transitions aren't of the jarring, ninety-degree variety but are more organic, occurring almost without incident in the listener's ear. This fluidity is the album's best aspect, as it's what keeps Natural Dreamers' music fresh and interesting. The trio are far from monotonous songwriters, but many of the song segments and melodic fragments that the band utilize might not seem so endearing given two or three minutes of duration. Natural Dreamers, instead of letting the musical pieces hang about too long, are adept at changing directions at just the right moment, and while this doesn't necessarily save a few of the more hackneyed bits of song, it makes them more easy to digest. This unassuming debut is free from overwrought ideas and blatantly self-important stances, a somewhat lite but still substantial musical statement.
|
