Coming from a punk rock background, I long believed the term ‘background music’ to be the ultimate insult- implying music whose listeners were passive and uninvolved. Yet the more music I listened to, the more I realised that some bands excel at the kind of music whose claims on your time are more modest – certain Architecture in Helsinki or RJD2 records, say. Rick Rizzo and Tara Key’s sophomore effort, ‘Double Star’, fits neatly into this category.
‘Double Star’ is a delicate, playful and wholeheartedly listenable album. As much a jam session between two scene veterans as it is an album in its own right, the album ably sways its way through to a satisfying end without overstaying its welcome.
Tellingly, the album goes further than its predecessor (which featured a whole two words of vocals) by omitting vocals from the record altogether. This is as unpretentious as technically-minded instrumental music gets, and it’s all the better for it. Adding vocals would seem to complicate things.
Some tracks stand out more than others – like ‘Yes I Wait’, a slow-burning, atmospheric song whose gentleness masks cleverly intertwined guitar work. Similarly, ‘Jagged Naught’ bases itself around a simple rhythm which slowly expands and develops as the song progresses. The final track, ‘BWG Stately’ offers a neat summary of the album’s themes and ideas, improvising without getting frantic. Admittedly some tracks are too subtle for their own good, and end up blending as you listen – as background music often does. This album just about gets away with it, though.
Such playfulness is to be expected. The relaxed experimentalism of the record fits with its origins – the two musicians last made a record in 2000, an eclectic album that earned them a spot on the following year’s All Tomorrow’s Parties festival. It isn’t laziness that has meant such a big gap between albums, mind. This is a side-project, and a good one at that.
Rick is a veteran of Eleventh Dream Day, a band originating in the 90s who can count the likes of Superchunk among their peers. With an impressive 10 EDD albums under his belt, it’s not surprising that he opts for something a little different in ‘Double Star’. Same goes for Ms. Key, whose work with Antietam covers similar musical territory, and with it a similar amount of time and experience.
Taking all this into account, this album is a pleasant distraction – hardly revolutionary but with enough variety in its ideas to maintain interest. If you’re lucky enough to be able to catch one of their rare live performances, take full advantage of the opportunity. For the rest of us, ‘Double Star’ is a pretty decent substitute.
Top tracks: ‘Yes I Wait’, ‘Jagged Naught’.
Released February 14 on Thrill Jockey
Echo Rating (((???)))
Posted by Mike
