This is the self-titled third album from Brooklyn's Andre Salvador & The Von Kings who are a fey melancholic Indie pop group or Craft batch Indie Rock as they would have it, who at times sound like they are happiest being wallflowers. Oh and none of the band members are called Andre. I had heard this album a couple of times from the online press kit before the vinyl turned up and have to say it sounds better on clear yellow vinyl for sure.
The album opens with I Love you (Don't Laugh) that actually made me giggle at the thought that they think a wimpy plea for affection and love is the way to go, this is fey wallflower indie that's quite pretty but really doesn't sound at all seductive.
Runaway Schemes is far better with a brass led intro before the soft as soft can be vocals come in along with the guitars, for what is the most unlikely of Halloween songs, that in places sounds like a middle of the night cry for a booty call from the sort of band that might be horrified at the thought, as this goes about its introspective way.
Something Nice sounds like they want to be the Steely Dan of indie pop that or are trying to cross The Dan with The Feeling and not quite succeeding, this has an oddly early 70's mor feel to it coupled with some odd noises.
Angel is a string led gentle piece of chamber pop that might start to seep in if you give if a few listens, like much of this album it's not very immediate in the way it grabs the listener.
Pagan Prayers opens like it wants to be a Doors rip off and then becomes meeker, I just want them to turn up the keyboards and let rip, instead the vocals sound like The Alessi brothers or even like something off of Crosby Pevar Raymond's recently re-issued debut album.
Second Sight is a gentle piano ballad with barely their whispered vocals this sounds like a 3 am drunken meander and plea for the object of their desire to follow them around.
The B-side opens with I Know is soft chilled out and laid-back introspective indie that might if given a chance worm it's way into your head, the neat keyboard twists sound far better on vinyl than download although that could be that it's mixed for two speakers rather than 5 speakers.
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What We've Got is another laid back wallflower chamber pop song with some nice strings that's on the mellow as it can be tip. That has an odd shift mid song that sort of lifts it a bit.
Bootlegs isn't about the sort of bootlegs I collect that's for sure it's sparse and slightly off strummed song that's almost a bit Daniel Johnston but with fewer quirks.
Season In Hell could describe listening to this album repeatedly quite easily, however this is one of the more interesting songs on the album, that's a seemingly clever prog folk song that really needs to let the keyboards more loose than they are. They sound like they have ripped of a 17th century folk song for the music, which if they have is a very cool thing indeed. This is the one song you really need to hear on this album.
Joanne will give me a clip round the ear, if I call her that rather than Jo, I wouldn't be surprised if the woman this is dedicated too has a similar reaction to hearing this plea for love, it's a slightly wonky chamber indie suite in about 3 minutes with lots of ideas in short musical bursts as they seem to save the best tunes for the end of the album.
The album closes with Point Of Tears it's the most relevant of the songs on the album as they sing of living to the Point Of Tears and it feels elegiac and sadly in tune with how morose this year feels, the strings trying to help us just sleep through all the mess and get to the other side of the circle where things are good again.
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