Tapete
Having spent time in well-respected indie bands Veronica Falls, Ultimate Painting and Proper Ornaments, songwriter James Hoare is finally stepping out on his own. Sheltering under the moniker Penny Arcade, this collection of dreamy, intimate reflections that hint at seaside memories and rural idylls are a step in a fresh direction, albeit a sleepy and melancholic one.
The dreamy obfuscation of the vocals evokes a mood of gauzy mystery while hypnotic circular guitar and haunting synth lend a
Bond theme vibe to opener “Jona”. The air of melancholy is palpable and in “Don’t Cry No Tears”, you can almost see a character walking away from the camera, gradually lost in a sprawling rural landscape as the viewpoint slowly pans back. The pieces, although short, are involved and feel like
mini-soundtracks to unmade movies.
Guitars chime against the diffuse vocal on “Want You Around” and the slightly narcotic vibe of “Dear John” follows a whimsical trail. The
disparate emotions contained in the songs, some of which are mere snippets, make for an engaging listen and the simplicity of the recording is utterly charming. James sure knows how to press the melancholy buttons with the simple descending guitar riff of “Black Clouds”; the lyrics are kind of diffuse and you need to dig a little to uncover the gems; while “Mr Softie” feels like a pastoral psychedelic update of the
Cockney Rebel song.
As you move through the album, the enigmatic imagery and evocative instrumentation continue apace, the chiming synths and hypnotic pattern of “Dennis” offset by the gloom of the downbeat kiss-off “One More” that rounds out the collection. There is a ray of sunshine arriving when you least expect, although the image of “one more cigarette before the daylight comes” has me thinking of a coastal bed and breakfast window overlooking the grey of an autumn seascape.
This ability to paint
vignettes in sound clearly comes from years of songwriting; but here James’s experiences all coalesce and leave something well worthy of investigation.
-Mr Olivetti-
Having spent time in well-respected indie bands Veronica Falls, Ultimate Painting and Proper Ornaments, songwriter James Hoare is finally stepping out on his own. Sheltering under the moniker Penny Arcade, this collection of dreamy, intimate reflections that hint at seaside memories and rural idylls are a step in a fresh direction, albeit a sleepy and melancholic one.
