Little Child Man - Future Antiques

Little Child Man

Future Antiques
self-released; 2014

4.2 out of 5

By J Simpson

The song "Shirley Tempo Legs" was recorded in the same studio that does music and sound for Adventure Time.  That song on Future Antiques by Little Child Man has a similar mixture of sophistication and whimsy, fun, darkness and danger to Templeton Ward's tale of a boy and his dog brother.



Listening to Future Antiques is like getting really, really close to the forest floor, or a piece of wood and discovering not only far-out miniature worlds, but these worlds have their own advanced civilizations. This is what it might sound like if microscopic fungi were to play ring-around-the-rosy, or if snails were to have a cool jazz all their own. It's no mean feat to produce such alien imagery with guitar, bass, drums, a little bit of synth and some pedals. 

Maybe it's because of the conceptual nature of the recording method.

Most of Future Antiques was recorded in Ainsley Hubbard's big red barn, to capture the natural acoustics and bring a live feel to the record. This kind of detail really makes Future Antiques stand out from the bedroom auteurs, being unique, innovative and personal.

Or take the epic "Norton The Frog" a synth-laden murder ballad about a frog and his dead lover, which featured huge metal drums as reflectors to create a truly whacked metallic reverb. This uniqueness of vision, ambition and individuality makes this record truly sparkle and shine, and I would love to see more bands with such a cohesive vision going to extra lengths to make the best art possible. The world would be a better place.



Little Child Man brings to mind the classic era of The Flaming Lips, when it seemed like they had something to prove, and were not completely secure in every artistic whim, and also the very personal psychosis of Neutral Milk Hotel, particularly In The Aeroplane Over The Sea. Like that album, Little Child Man seems to be a complete world in itself, and they are inviting you in for a glimpse. 

The adult world is kind of a drag, full of restrictions and annoying obligations. There is very little time for adventure or exploration, too little time for the things that truly matter. Little Child Man strikes the perfect balance between childish and childlike. Like Adventure Time, there's something for everybody, for children of all ages.

Tweet