 Lazarus
"Songs for an Unborn Sun" CD
Temporary
Residence Limited
Genres: acoustic pop, indie pop, singer / songwriter
Temporary Residence Limited
PO Box 11390
Portland OR 97211
Aug 11 - 17 2003 |
Lazarus
is Tarentel and The Drift alum Trevor Montgomery's
new solo project, and Songs for an Unborn Sun sees him teaming
up with producer / background vocalist Marty Anderson of Howard
Hello and Dilute. As an album, it's a very personal piece
of art. Trevor keeps things simple and bare-bones; most of the songs
just have singing over an acoustic guitar background, with some
minimal electronics seeping in occasionally.
On Songs, Lazarus makes it clear that he can write
songs at a high level of sophistication. The melodies are delicate but
very catchy, often achieving beauty in the most simplistic of ways.
His lyrics are personal and often considerably cryptic. Opener
"Poets the Liars" is a fine example of the Lazarus
sound. It's a basic, yet touching tune; the raw vocals are almost
painfully draped across the song, and the guitar feels so perfectly
recorded that it sounds nearly imperfect in its auditory exactness.
While most of the songs are short (in the under four minute range),
the last two songs differ from this trend. "Born a
Friendship" is six minutes in length, and also relies very
largely on an electronic backbone, with shifting synths accompanying
Trevor's emotional vocals. "Time," meanwhile, is a piano and
vocal piece that precedes a haunting hidden track (that comes on after
twelve minutes of silence).
While countless of singer/songwriters have done acoustic albums
just like Songs for an Unborn Sun, Lazarus' songwriting
talent and originality sets him apart from the others, and his
discernible sincerity makes this album a real gem. This is a
recommended album for those with the patience and maturity to
appreciate it.
87%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 12 tracks + 1 hidden, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
