Asthmatic Kitty Rec.
V.A. : Mews too (US,2006)**°°
While I usually use compilations mostly especially to check out new talents and artists, that’s the first thing I wanted to do with this album which was listed as “an asthmatic kitty compilation’. From the, to me, unknown artists I took out some tracks for potentional airplay. But with a closer look I noticed this was something different than a sampler of for instance upcoming albums. Many of the smaller labels, who are in it for the music, often start as an idealistic playing together in studio of friends and musically related musicians. In the best way this could become like a spiritual / musical interacting “family” or community. In a way the Asthmatic Kitty Records owners must have felt this kind of energy, resulting in a previous compilation in 2001 called "To Spirit Back the Mews" with the contributors starting to invite a few more friends. This album includes of course many friends and participants who participated with Sufjan Stevens before, one of the most successful names of the label.
The compilation is a success, because with similarly minded musicians, and well mixed, the album has very much variety without any really disturbing or tiring moment.
Favourite tracks are by Denison Witmer (a song with warm acoustic fingerpicking guitar). After an alt.country track by Bogs Visionary Orchestra, another favourite is Half-Handed Cloud (a funny-rhythmic romantic ? song with original vocal and acoustic arrangements), My Brightest Diamond (a Bjork-like voice vocalist, but with wider vocal range and emotions, accompanied by piano, cello). From Chris Schlarb we hear a spherical acoustic improvisation. This is mixed in well into a good Liz Janes track with band. Bunky has a good pop song with sax. Maxel Toft has a beautiful acid bluegrass or something song on banjo. Jim Guthrie, Castanets and Danielson are also listed. Mathew Hasseltine has a more experimental moody track, in between more songs, which tracked my attention at first too (guitar, voice and echoed distorted background sounds). After a few more simple, mostly guitar/voice tracks by Sam Rosen and Welcome Wagon, Jason Brouwer, Lifestyles & Vistas, the next track by Roman Bolks I liked much better, a track that would fit well with Sufjan Stevens, and this is indeed followed by a track by him. Shannon Stephens’s track might be influenced slightly by alternative Americana. Royal City has band arranged track (with a voice like Lou reed but when he could sing). Men of Old delivers an instrumental kind of interlude with ambient drone with rhythms remix of Indian, and other sounds (electronica, voice) mixed like DJ. Also Jai Agnish could have fit well in style with Sufjan’s inspirations. This is followed by a quiet simple and charming track by Steven Lambke. Last track by Elin Smith sounds like a Norwegian folk traditional and is the only non English track.
Musician's homepages :
Mathew Haseltine : he played fretless bass in Sufjan Stevens' college band.
Welcome Wagon : This is Pastor and Mrs. Vito Auito. Sufjan sang at Vito's ordination.
Sufjan Stevens reviews here
