Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Dovecote - Rare Birds

4/3/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dovecote

Rare Birds
self-released; 2015

3.8 out of 5


By J Simpson

Sometimes good things come from hardship ordoes one have to suffer to make good art?

Rare Birds
, by Chicago's Dovecote, was born from tragedy - not the loss of a parent, or a beloved pet, but rather, the death of a hard drive - a hard drive containing all of Peter Castaldo's songs and sketches. Anyone who's lost a journal or a sketchbook knows this pain, but instead of curling up in a fetal position and shutting down Castaldo, the main man behind Dovecote, chose to step up and get busy, recording Rare Birds in a hurry, using only Garage Band and a Blue Nessie Microphone.

Rare Birds is a fuzzy, blurry, impressionistic affair described by Castaldo as "guitar rock with some fuzzy funk and blues influence." The closest sonic signifiers would be the first three Beck records - One Foot In The Grave, Mellow Gold and Odelay - as well as the quirky, homespun world of Ween, not to mention the scores and scads of reverb-laden, distorted bedroom cassette heroes that populated the 2000s.

Rare Birds features a rather murky sound quality, which Castaldo recommends overcoming with "loud volume through good speakers, or headphones" (naturlich). But instead of detracting from the overall feel, the lo-fi actually lends itself to this record's charms. This is weird music to be sure - full of soaring falsetto funk, like The Bee Gees covering Prince ("Candytown"), crazy drum breaks run through a Jell-O lens ("Step On Your Face") and almost sinister, but still peaceful, ambience ("Interlude"). It all adds up to form an intimate look into Castaldo's world and creative process.

Perhaps it's just my reviewer's bias, but this personal touch, the sense of the artist's hand in a work of art, no matter how big or how small, is essential to a record's success. If an album seems like it's been run through focus groups and research panels, it seems bland, featureless and makes no impact. Whereas some horrible, lo-fidelity tape recording will seem chock full of mystery and intrigue, and I'll practically beg to buy a copy. It's one of the interesting contradictions of these modern times.

Also, as a creative person myself, I understand all too well the perfectionism that digital art can bring, leading to countless hard drives of unused sketches and takes that never go anywhere. There is something to be said for the raw immediacy of having something to say, and a way to say it. In the long run, that hard drive death could be the best thing to ever happen to Castaldo. 
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band

© Divide and Conquer 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact