Jon Lindsay - Summer Wilderness Program Review
Summer. Wilderness. Program. Three seemingly innocuous words when ingested individually.
rating: 3.5
Summer. Wilderness. Program. Three seemingly innocuous words when ingested individually. However, put them together, and what do you get? Well not a lot really, the same three words with a lot less sense than each word garners on its own. Now, I, and you, and we, could speculate all day long, and maybe the odd night, on what exactly a Summer Wilderness Program is or what it entails. I could even write a review in a professional manner, instead of as if it were in fact not a review but some grand, conversational novella in the first person. I could, but I wont and we could speculate, but we wont. Instead what well do is ask the man himself, or rather listen to songs said man (Jon Lindsay) has knocked together and gathered under the aforementioned trio of words. (I mean, its probably Summer camp, but shh.)
Upon listening to what Mr Lindsay has brought together under the banner title of Summer Wilderness Program, it seems to me, or at least it sounds like, that in Jon Lindsays mind a Summer Wilderness Program is all about growing up. (Did I hear someone say Summer camp?) The press release speaks of a grand concept unifying the songs and their stories in this album, regardless what you find here is tales of love, particularly first loves, school trips, prom, track and field, angst, frustration and the darker underbelly of adolescence. For thats what this album sings to me; adolescence. The album sounds like a lot like that too, in its eclecticism. You can hear a variety of influences shine through, likely a combination of what Lindsay was spoon fed as a youth and what he picked up growing up, or grew up with. Its always pop though, no matter the dalliance this album is infused with pop music. http://youtu.be/95vrpiJRI4Q Whether its opener Oceans More with its melding of They Might Be Giants and Say Anything through a Beach Boys baroque pop filter, or immediate follow up track Tiny Violins that comes out you somewhere between Rufus Wainwright and 70s pop delirium. That seems to be the spirit of Jon Lindsays sound, the unifying of the sounds he was brought up on and the songs he grew up on, or at the very least alongside. Like, Margot brings to mind Magical Mystery Tour era Beatles as much as it does when Panic! At The Disco decided to drop the exclamation mark and start trying to sound like The Beatles (or 60s psychedelic pop in general) on Pretty.Odd. Theres experimentation though too, with hints at a darker edge, like Marcoda. It starts with a distant wail, and vocal harmonies that sound as much like Josh Homme in Queens of the Stone Age as they do The Beach Boys, before a spacious and pounding drum introduces a synth progression that Id swear blind has been pinched from Mogwai and then the vocals come over the top but maintain a very traditional folk style. http://youtu.be/XnpknaP0Dk8 The interesting thing about this album though is that whilst the influences seem obvious, its only a passing thought and never derogatory. You get the odd glimpse of Elton John, a symphonic Beatles, the tiniest hint of Bruce Springsteen, a Beach Boys influenced harmony, the air of Saves The Day or the absurd cabaret of Rufus Wainwright. Im convinced I can hear moments of pure Belle & Sebastien, but that just might be me. The kaleidoscope of influences aside, Jon Lindsay manages to maintain his own voice throughout. Hes wearing his influences on his sleeves but theyre just badges on a top he made himself, and thats what a lot of artists hope for but fall short of. As pop centric as the album is (in a somewhat absurdist musical way), its not necessarily hook filled or instant, though there are moments of each. That is to say - it is more of a grower than an immediate shower, but then arent some of the best rewarding records? Theres a lot of potential in this one man band. ***
For anyone questioning my Belle & Sebastien and Bruce Springsteen comparisons, listen to this stand out track and tell me Im wrong. http://youtu.be/sLMu1-yCweM websitefacebooktwitter