Each distinct piece blends together in a colorful pattern that is unmistakably beautiful.
Confetti Reprise is the follow-up to A Lull's debut LP Confetti. The band felt that too many good songs were left on the cutting room floor when finalizing the track listing to their debut. Reprise resurrects four of these songs, and after hearing Reprise, I agree with the band that these songs should have seen the light of day. Instead of throwing together an EP with B-sides that only diehard fans would care about, Reprise's songs are comparable to Confetti's best songs.
A Lull are known for their percussive heavy arrangements. Opening track “Pot Luck” adheres to their reputation with a blasting melody of beautiful chaos. Nigel Evan Dennis’ fragmented vocals are pieced together with fuzzy shards of noise that lead into a chant-along chorus of The pressure we pleasure is nothing but leisure. A Lull interrupts the destructive nature of the song in the middle with birds chirping, a charming detour that never slows the pace of the song. Much of Dennis’ lyrics in Reprise seem connected to nature, so much sometimes that he sounds like he should be wearing a tie-dyed shirt and a peace necklace. We had mothers and we had fathers / The world was our mother and the dirt was our father, sings Dennis on “The Pit”. On “Exit Wounds” he sings, Blood, hands, grow in sand / And we’re all here / We’re all here.
While Dennis’ lyrics may be closely tied to the earth, the music is not as grounded with sharp changes in structure and sound that rise from the background and then evaporate. The horn interludes on “Exit Wounds” are spectacular and shake up the rhythmic, finger-snapping pace of the song. “The Pit” pulses with tribal energy and could awake some more animalistic tendencies. The bells, horn squeaks, and skittering noises that slowly build to the forefront of “Confetti Reprise” flow like confetti swirling through an empty space. Each distinct piece blends together in a colorful pattern that is unmistakably beautiful.
Confetti Reprise’s four tracks come together much in the same way. Not unlike Confetti A Lull’s imaginative arrangements continue to arouse the senses with songs that are both ear catching and visually stimulating. Thankfully the four songs of Confetti Reprise earned a reprieve from being unheard. - Earbuddy |
