Spencer Krug, Lovely Company, and Sook-Yin Lee & Adam Litovitz
Spencer Krug
Fading Graffiti // Pronounced Kroog
Fading Graffiti is Spencer Krug’s first self-release, and represents a new direction for the artist. Backed by a wide-ranging and notable discography, this is also Krug’s first solo release under his own name and, as such, the record is characterized in equal measures by intimacy and experimentation. Written and released first as solo piano ballads for Krug’s Patreon, Fading Graffiti reimagines its base material with a full band, lending a poignancy and immensity to Krug’s vivid and wistful songwriting.
Intricately crafted, Spencer Krug’s compositions dip and swell, punctuating the project with his foreboding, wistful piano and acoustic guitar. A standout, the band’s pedal steel guitar wails overtop of the album’s reverberant melodies, creating an atmosphere of churchlike worship. Paired with a thoughtful reverence is a discordance that highlights Krug’s vivid songwriting: surreal and intensely metaphorical, Fading Graffitti is a barrage of nouns, associations, and somber reflections.
Ethereal and, at times, strained, Fading Graffiti feels like remembering something that happened a long time ago. The title track, and the first on the album, switches out Krug’s piano for an acoustic guitar that twangs alongside the rest of the band and almost sounds like it is pulling some influence from Country. At other times, the instrumentation is more intense and outright remorseful, such as on “Wasted Energy”, where the style is almost reminiscent of The Smiths or even Pavement. All the while, Krug’s piano is dramatic and theatrical, trading out with riffs from the band’s electric guitar to sting and drive. At other points in the project, such as on “The Moon and The Dream”, and on “Pin A Wing Above The Door”, everything pulls back for a moment to let Krug’s ghostly crooning take center stage.
All in all, Fading Graffiti is an album that presents both ups and downs throughout, the whole while enthralled by Spencer Krug’s distinctive vocal style and lyricism. Engaging, cryptic, and unique, Krug’s experiment seems to have paid off: the intimate lyricism of ballads composed by one person alone is supported wholeheartedly by his band’s vivid and intricate instrumentation to make something that exists wholly of its own accord. Fading Graffiti is a ghostly ode to the musical process itself, and shows off the best of a competent songwriter’s unburdened writing.
- Devon Acuña
Lovely Company
Tenderness // Lovely Company Records
Sometimes life can seldom seem enjoyable. It’s not hard to let time pass you by, and sometimes life can feel like an insufferable rat race towards futility. Especially in these times (what with the global pandemic and all), it’s become much more difficult to connect with others in visceral ways. It’s at these moments we need a gentle, loving embrace. It’s at these moments we need Tenderness.
From Vancouver based music project Lovely Company comes an auditory shepherd's pie: a comfort food for the ears, with the release of their newest record, Tenderness, wherein the six contributing artists create seven charming tracks laden in psychedelia and indie rock influence. The artists co-operate with each other in a way that sounds natural and organic while containing a structure that I found delightfully unpredictable.
This album has a comforting charm that carries over from its reverberated sound to the poetic lyrics. For example, on the album’s fifth track, “Comfort Foods”, we’re treated with a mellow, feel good indie song with lyrics about getting something to eat. A more sombre track is the final song, “Sentimental Days”, a slow, bitter-sweet love song with lyrics about the flicker of a passionate flame, about when it’s bright, and more importantly when it’s dim.
Tenderness is Mac DeMarco’s wet dream. It’s a beautiful blend of trippy rock with the complexity and method of a jazz band. It’s an excellent album for those in a good mood, or those looking to be a good mood. With gentle vocals, a warm bass, a groovy guitar, and a borderline improvisational tone, Tenderness is a sweet album that has a lot of heart put into it, which definitely deserves a listen from any of those willing to give some heart back.
- Brandon Kruze
Sook-Yin Lee & Adam Litovitz
jooj two // Mint Records
Sook-Yin Lee and Adam Litovitz’ jooj two is an exciting and emotional thrill ride, with highs, lows, and entertaining midpoints, making it an amazing piece of music. It’s exciting, it’s enticing, it’s emotional, it’s whimsical and it’s just all around fantastic.
It reminds me of Björk, and house music. It feels like David Bowie’s music tastes, that feeling of sitting back and closing your eyes and listening to the heavenly, divine, expertly orchestrated vocals, whisk you away to your happy place. Sook-Yin Lee is an amazing singer, and I hope the masses will be able to experience the absolute wonder of an album that is jooj two.
When I was listening to it the first time in my kitchen, it was pure euphoria. I could have sworn I saw the ghosts of house parties passed. The people smiling humming along, bobbing to the beats, breaking into dance, loving nothing more than to be in the presence of these other people. One of my favourite parts of this album is the insatiable desire to just start dancing on the spot. Whether an awkward little sway and twist with your shoulders with your eyes closed, or a full blown throw down. (Not dissimilar from how the album itself feels.) jooj two can change from a soothing and cool piece of music you can listen to while you waste away at work or studying, to an emotional thrill ride barraging your ears and demanding your immediate attention.
jooj two at its core, is a vibe. An absolute vibe. A vibe if ever there was one. It’s an exchange. A negotiation. A conversation between two old friends. Old friends who haven’t seen each other in many a blue moon. The kind of conversation you have after getting a glance of each other, catching their eye. The kind of conversation that comes after getting that shocking kick of eye contact. The mid-drink, stifling gag when you both lock eyes for the first time in years. That wonderful, beautiful hug after walking over to each other, meeting in the middle while saying “Hey, how’ve you been, man?” The ensuing conversation is what jooj two is. The kind of conversation between two people, smiling, so happy to see their friend again, thinking about how good they look, how they’ve missed them, and reminiscing on their old memories together. That kind of conversation in a dark room, with loud music, where you can’t catch everything your friend is saying, but you’re okay with it, you’re satisfied with seeing their smile again, seeing them so passionate about what they’re doing. That feeling will last longer than words ever will, and that feeling is jooj two.
jooj two is a reunion, it is love, it is joy, it is sadness. It's a feeling that’ll carry you along a boring train ride, move you on an ultrasonic adventure along a night time dance floor, or just hold you while you’re going through a tough time.
- Kaden Peaslee
