“Spread It All Around” MP3
from the album Confetti
2011
iTunes
Confetti, the debut full-length from Chicago-based A Lull, is heavy on percussion, guttural beats, and sonic tricks. They evoke the psychedelic sounds of Animal Collective, but blend it with a folkier tone that can be likened to Vister-era The Dodos.
Singer Nigel Evan Dennis’s soft vocal delivery provides an interesting contrast to the aggressive percussion and primal feel of the kick drum. Though his voice is often heavily effected, an approach that I normally consider a bit too trendy, the overall sound generally works well with the music’s aesthetic. Throughout most of Confetti, though, the lyrical elements take a back seat to the musical content, which ambiently twists and turns into the sonic atmosphere. Dennis’s more straightforward vocal approach in the song “Some Love,” though, with its croon of “show me some love” in the chorus, is actually one of the high points on the album.
Recorded over a period of time at the band’s own studio, Confetti is a testament to the influence of independent recording on contemporary music. The availability of inexpensive, professional home studio equipment has allowed for a new style of mega-produced indie music where the allure of each song lies more in the mix of sounds than the raw power of an instrument, amp or soundboard. Simply put, a record such as this would have been practically impossible for an indie band to produce 10 years ago.
This production on Confetti, though the biggest characteristic of A Lull’s brand, feels a little too self-indulgent over the course of the album. Don’t get me wrong, it has many high points in its duration, but the mega production smears the songs together, often blurring the hooks. Confetti demonstrates that A Lull has a knack for the sonic bells and whistles of recording and mixing, but this record is best appreciated in doses.