I was pretty excited when this showed up- I own Holopaw's previous two discs, both of which are nothing short of amazing. It's been awhile since 'Quit +/Or Fight' (2005) was released and I had been wondering what these Florida indie sensations have been up to since (frontman John Orth was also recently in Ugly Casanova with Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse).
Turns out some line up changes have taken place recently, though the core songwriting duo remains the same (Orth and Jeff Hays), as does Holopaw's use of intimate and hushed melodies- a gentle melancholy that is quite an anomaly from their hometown of Gainesville, which is most often noted for brash, loud punk rock.
Now a six piece, Holopaw utilize trumpets, organs, pedal steel, cellos, rhodes, and a whole slew of other instruments here, layering lush and delicate soundscapes beneath frontman John Orth's quivering, forthright vocals. Orth sings songs mostly about loss, sorrow, heartbreak and love, the band backing his stories with rich, dynamic instrumentation. It all comes together in a warm and fuzzy delivery, the sort of music seemingly made for a sunny autumn day, despite the less than upbeat subject matter.
Backing vocals from Erin Tobey (Pink Razors) add to the harmonies quite nicely, complementing Orth's unique singing that sometimes seems to be on the cusp of mass despair. It's hard for me to say this is Holopaw's best work; their first two records are so good as well and I wouldn't want to take away from the brilliance of those efforts. This is definitely Holopaw's least sparse sounding disc, taking on a fuller sound and overall larger feel to it.
For fans of: Calexico, The Promise Ring (Wood/Water era), Iron & Wine, M. Ward, Owen, Matt Pond PA, The New Amsterdams
