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MH-276 A Lull - Confetti  Confetti, the life-affirming debut from Chicago’s quintet, A Lull, grabs your attention from its first explosion and deconstructs you further with each subsequent, colorized blast. The band has spent glorious ages supplementing layers of guitars, bass, electronics and vocals by banging on drums (as well as recording rustling bags of trash, throwing bottles against walls and pounding away at anything in sight), eventually coming to the cacophonous percussion and everything else wall of sound that makes Confetti's sound unmistakable. The fervor of these endlessly layered, volatile songs is cooled by the voice and lyrics of Nigel Evan Dennis, who covers the grandiosity of each track with his emotionally entangled lyrics. Though the aural tone of Confetti is one of almost overwhelming joy, a sense of longing and regret is palpable between the lines. It’s as if every song is being sung to the face of a loved one at their breaking point. Though their sound is unmistakably their own, the concise romanticism harnessed by A Lull can at times conjure the songwriting ethos of Bon Iver, the instrumental indulgence of Sufjan Stevens or the garishly sensual emotional lift of Explosions In The Sky. Confetti's sense of hope and musical perfection captivates. |
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| Reviews Summary |
| A Lull is like the current crop of Blitzen Trappers and Fleet Foxes all playing at once. - The Village Voice / A Lull stand eerily and mightily apart from their contemporaries. - MP3 Hugger / Think about every time you’ve wanted to immerse yourself in the sheer energy and force of an album, now take a look at Confetti and give yourself an experience. - The Line Of Best Fit |
| Reviews |
| A lull can usually be identified as a soothing, calming sound, often causing sleep. Most bands would want to place themselves as far from this definition as possible, but one Chicago band of the same name, seems to be making it work for them, encompassing this definition, while redefining it. A Lull has had a good year, recording sessions at the "Horse Shack," more commonly known as Daytrotter, having toured with indie rock giants, Cold War Kids, and playing multiple shows at SXSW. Perhaps most importantly, the local band has come out with their first, full-length album, "Confetti." With various EPs, notably "Ice Cream Bones EP," behind them, a full-length debut has been long overdue. "Confetti" opens up with their powerhouse "Weapons for War," endlessly remixed in EPs and 7" records before, this final version melds what can only be likened to a mechanical symphony, with primal vocals: seemingly, two conflicting adjectives that A Lull carries out flawlessly as the album progresses. This structural chaos continues and flourishes in "Mammals," which creates a lull in the effect of loud instrumentals and hypnotic vocals from the band's frontman Nigel Evan Dennis. The spicy lyrics almost sneak past with his soft vocals, but seem to mesh with the voluminous instrumentals. Later, "Pregnancy" goes on to a stirring introduction, slowly but steadily building to a haunting track with an intriguing underlying melody, often gives way to sparse interludes evocative of mixed sound effects. However, "Sidemen" goes on to capture the life of this band. The adjective spacey hardly does the song justice; it reaches a fresh level of ethereal transcendence rarely done well enough to work. "Confetti" is fantastic for an otherworldly indie experience; however, if you're looking to rock out and indulge in the familiar and cozy acoustic strings of folksy indie rock, look elsewhere. Expect to be caught scratching your head with a mix of strange satisfaction and curiosity, challenge your ears to listen to something different, for A Lull just may be the next to dictate the trends of indie rock. - The DePaulia |
1XLP/Out Of Print