Youth Lagoon – ‘Rarely Do I Dream’ album review: memory inspires the most wonderful music
THE SKINNY: It never stops being surprising, the strange places where creatives manage to find their inspiration. While looking for a harmonica in a box of antiques, Trevor Powers (AKA Youth Lagoon) came across a box of old videos, and whether he knew it or not, these dusty reels of film would set the stage for his newest album, Rarely Do I Dream.
Powers pulled sound from memory, resulting in a varied record that brings us both minimalism and maximalism in some of its most beautiful forms. Instrumentally, it’s a record that keeps you guessing, with no rules followed in terms of tone, instruments used, or approach to songs; however, the main constant in the album that connects songs that would otherwise be considered unconnected is Powers’ voice.
It’s rare that you find a vocal performance that is so sure of itself yet also hangs back. Powers manages to sit comfortably in the cross-section of this Venn diagram as he sings with fragility but also in a way that carries every song on the album. It’s terrific to listen to and beautifully rides every instrumentation on this album.
In complete contradiction to what I’ve just said, the most moving part of the album comes at the very end, on the song ‘Home Movies (1989-1993)’, which doesn’t have any vocals on it all. Before here, it’s hard to tell what random pieces of dialogue throughout the album are, but on the final track, it becomes evident they are segments of home movies. Somehow, the reveal that this is an album drawn from lost memories is one of the most emotional parts of the album, and it’s terrific that Powers has included such a reveal.
Whether you’re here for nostalgia, to dance or to feel, there is a track on Rarely Do I Dream for you, as this is a record you won’t forget in a hurry.
For fans of: The noise a videotape makes before the film starts playing.
A concluding comment from the CEO of Blockbuster: “If ever there was a record that epitomised why I loved my work, it’s this one.”
Rarely Do I Dream track by track:
Release: February 21st | Producer: Trevor Powers | Label: Fat Possum
‘Neighborhood Scene’: A dreamy introduction, melancholy instrumental is home to snippets of conversations and broadcasts. They set the scene for something, even if the listener isn’t quite sure what it is yet. [3.5/5]
‘Speed Freak’: Breakbeats and fuzzy bass. The song is disjointed and rough but held together by the mild chaos it creates. Powers’ vocals are soft and grounded but ride the upbeat instrumentation well. It’s a fun song and an easy track to nod your head to. [3.5/5]
‘Football’: If clouds could sing, they would sound like this. Powers’ voice is soft as silk, on a beat that sounds as though it has been discovered in the aftermath of a thunderstorm rather than created on a computer. It sounds like a soft, catchy indie tune and is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish. [4.5/5]
‘Gumshoe (Dracula From Arkansas)’: A funky track, one which is laced with the kind of rhythm that gets toes tapping and fingers twitching. The vocals are high-pitched and percussive, sung in a style that adds another layer to the intoxicating feel of the song. [4/5]
‘Seersucker’: The sound of rain, overheard chatting and delicate keys welcomes in ‘Seersucker’. The vocals do a great deal over instrumentation that is relatively stripped back and minimal, as a great atmosphere is created that listeners will be happy to sit in throughout this song. [3/5]
‘Lucy Takes a Picture’: A slight change in tone with this song as the major strings and upbeat nature of the track makes it feel like you’re in the waiting room for a company that is promising you a better life. This instrumentation is pretty infectious, though, and the ascending vocals on the chorus that fade as they grow higher is an innovative and nice touch. [4/5]
‘Perfect World’: This could be mistaken for a remixed ringtone, as oscillating droplets and fuzz bass make for what some would mistake for the sound that wakes them up in the morning. Manipulating the beat and adding some more instruments on top, Powers sets the stage for a rock song. The distorted guitar that comes through on the chorus lifts the track beyond recognition, as this song is given layers beyond imagination. [5/5]
‘My Beautiful Girl’: A slight break is needed after the magnitude of ‘Perfect World’, and we were given it with ‘My Beautiful Girl’. It’s an incredibly stripped-back, minimalist song, but what it lacks in volume, it makes up for in beauty. [3.5/5]
‘Canary’: An upbeat and tropical song, the kind of instrumentation you would listen to during sunrise or sunset, depending on your lifestyle. It’s a track that demands subtle or exaggerated movement; you can’t sit still while listening to ‘Canary’. [4/5]
‘Parking Lot’: A varied song. It is initially stripped back and soft, but breakbeats weave throughout to add a strange drum-and-bass-style energy. This tone shifts throughout the song, which doesn’t let you sit still for the full three minutes that it plays. [3.5/5]
‘Sunday Cowboy Matinee’: One of the most cinematic songs on the album. A strange atmosphere is created from the off, one which makes you feel uneasy and very aware of your surroundings as if trouble looms. Powers vocals put you at ease, but the strange ambience persists throughout this track, which is almost operatic in its construction, given that it begs for your undivided attention and tells a story. [4.5/5]
‘Home Movies (1989-1993)’: If there was ever a song that summed up this album in its entirety, it’s this one. It becomes clear that the random broadcasts heard throughout are from home videos, and the instrumentation that provides a backdrop for this reveal highlights everything beautiful about this record. Memory can be a truly beautiful source of inspiration, and Powers highlights that wonderfully on this album. [4/5]
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