The Forecast

A sort of eternal overcast seems to hang over Paul Hiragas songs; they carry with them a sense of rainy introspection befitting their Pacific Northwest origin. For two decades, the Seattle musician has been making subtly textured indie rock albums under the name Downpilot, sometimes with collaborators but often on his own, writing, recording, and mixing at his home studio. His low profile in the U.S. is counterbalanced by a steady fan base in Europe, where he has remained a staple of Germanys Tapete Records roster since 2009. The Forecast is his seventh Downpilot album, and while it offers no great sonic shake-ups, it does meet his typically high standards of quality in tone and mood-setting. Over a glowing tube-driven riff, Hiragas dusty tenor sings of resiliency and escape on "Black Eye," one of several standouts that pepper the set. Growling guitars and dappled fiddle carry the expansive "Red Desert," which seems to pit the effects of industry against its subjects arid landscapes. A pair of wistful piano ballads -- "Strangers Hotel" and the title cut -- disrupt The Forecasts otherwise guitar-driven feel, as does the curious synth interlude "Antfinger." Despite his penchant for rugged sounds and understated melodies, Hiraga comes across here as an optimist, albeit a cautious one. He lives in his own self-made sonic world, and while The Forecast may not sound much different from previous Downpilot releases, its appeal is in its familiarity. ~ Timothy Monger