Abracadabra＜Black Vinyl＞

Evolving from a chintzy, semi-ironic bedroom pop project, Jerry Paper nailed a bubbly smooth-funk sound with Toon Time Raw! and Like a Baby, two excellent albums recorded in Toronto with members of youthful jazz combo BadBadNotGood, as well as appearances from Weyes Blood and Mild High Club on the latter record. Abracadabra, his second Stones Throw full-length, was recorded with his regular backing band rather than any guests, but it maintains the tightly focused soft-rock arrangements and surreal wordplay of its predecessors. Hes always seemed like an alien trying to come to terms with living in human society, and Abracadabra makes this premise clearer, with its bugged-out cover art and plenty of its lyrics. The most memorable songs explore existential themes -- Paper begins one song by requesting When I die, keep the trash off my memorial highway over sedated keyboards and soft, knocking drum ticks, before glancing back and smirking I hope you remember me with a smile. The perky, drum machine-driven Game Night continues Papers run of upbeat tunes about frustration and depression, turning Im just a chump whos down on his luck, and I feel so empty inside into a slick, catchy hook. Elsewhere, the songs depict some truly strange characters -- Body Builder on the Shore paints a disturbing scene of a man copping a crystal meth fix at his kids birthday party, and The Imposter is a tale of deception told by a disguised criminal who was set up by the big man. The arrangements encompass crunchy psych-soul (Quicksand), summery 80s pop-funk (Cholla), and plush lounge jazz (Spit It Out), and theyre usually polished enough to distract casual listeners from how weird it all is -- only a few isolated freak-out moments, like the cartoon boing! effect at the end of Trash Can, immediately give it away. ~ Paul Simpson

前作が各方面から非常に高い評価を得たLAのシンガー・ソングライターによる待望の新作。ビーチ・ボーイズやハイ・ラマズの系譜を継ぐ実験的なポップ・サウンドが特徴だが、今作はより洗練され、そこにギラギラした雰囲気も加わり、いかにもカリフォルニア産ヨット・ロック的な趣が良い。卓越した作曲センスもさらに進化しており、旨味たっぷりのメロディは聴き応え十分。ポップ・ジャンキーにはたまらない一枚です。
bounce (C)赤瀧洋二