What you’ve got to ask yourself is: do you like keys and beats? Well do ya, punk? Because that’s what Casiotone for the Painfully Alone have to offer on Vs. Children. Yes, admittedly, there are idiosyncratic narratives about abortion and robbery and Bonnie and Clyde and such, but these will serve mostly as fringe benefits to those who find the instrumental basis of Vs. Children‘s music appealing. That’s keys and beats, in case you need reminding. Keys and beats. Keysnbeats. Keezenbeets. Keez-
Ponderous, is what this is. Owen Ashworth’s vocals are sleepy and nonchalant, it’s difficult to wholeheartedly back a description of them as singing at all. The album is essentially built around cyclic, frequently plodding keyboards with very basic drum machine loops over them. The production quality is patchy, never “good”, and never intended to be – the scrappy feel is arguably meant to be part of the appeal. The formula is stuck to determinedly throughout, and it’s going to divide people into two main camps – those who see this as barely-existent dirge music that scarcely does enough to justify its own existence, and those who see it as an admirably restrained, lo-fi off-the-wall gem.
Inconveniently jeopardising my own dichotomy, I’m forced to confess that I’m personally somewhere in between. Yes, this does sound like deeply amateurish music, like somebody’s very first fledgling project recorded in a bedroom. Yes, it is deep as a puddle instrumentally and texturally. But, Ashworth’s lazy vocal style can be endearing at times, and he does have stories to tell, especially on songs like the touching ‘Killers’ where he subvert’s Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ for a moment. Whilst there are tiresome plodders like the daft and Woodpigeon-esquely titled ‘Tom Justice, The Choir Boy Robber, Apprehended at Ace Hardware, Libertyville, IL.’ there are also more effective tracks like the aforementioned ‘Killers’ and also the enjoyable closer ‘White Jetta’.
Having said that, I still think that most people are going to have to take all these pills together. For some it’ll be a miracle cure, for others the oppressively subdued atmosphere will soon feel like they’ve ODed on depressants of some description. So… do you like keys and beats?
60%
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on MySpace
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Unlike the reviewer, I find the album’s sound palette very texturally rich. It doesn’t sound at all like someone’s “very first project”, but very slaved over, even if the music is sparse. The reviewer mentions the lyrics as almost an afterthought, which proves that he misses the point entirely – Casiotone For The Painfully Alone has ALWAYS been about the lyrics first.
I thought this was a great record. Thoroughly enjoyed it. And perhaps the first record about abortion that you can (sort of) dance to!
Agree with the two comments above me and disagree with the reviewer. This album is a lyrical work of art and for me a strong contender for best album of the year.
I’ve been a CFTPA fan for a while now, and I have to say, on first listening, this album was not as instantly lovable as his earlier work… a couple of repeats later, it shines – it is deeper, both musically and lyrically, and, as has quite rightly been stated, anyone who considers anything on the album to be an afterthought has clearly missed the point. While occasionally sparse (though certainly not in comparison to his first few albums) it is a finely crafted and poignant opus, in many points, more challenging, but ultimately more rewarding than much of Owen’s previous catalogue… i suspect thought, that in years to come, those nostalgic urges will still have me taking ‘twinkle’ from the shelf… if you’re buying your first CFTPA album, grab Etiquette first, and move on to vs children when you yearn for more complexity
I love the new album!! I can’t wait for the UK tour – he’s playing York on Fri 24th Apr, should be a great gig :)
Do you like keys and beats?
Love em.
Then what are you, a gay keyboard?