Press Play – Album Reviews

Though Carl Platou’s website does not specify which country he is from, it is clear that English is not his native tongue and that he is having some trouble bridging the communication gap (from his press materials: “Boasting a Library Bachelor ss [sic] Degree he surely put your average grunge rocker to shame, Carl is here to rock and poet it all over the place”).

Carl PlatouFrozen Eve*

Though Carl Platou’s website does not specify which country he is from, it is clear that English is not his native tongue and that he is having some trouble bridging the communication gap (from his press materials: “Boasting a Library Bachelor ss [sic] Degree he surely put your average grunge rocker to shame, Carl is here to rock and poet it all over the place”).

Frozen Eve is replete with examples of this unfortunate shortcoming, as it consistently offers some of the most boring lyrics ever committed to tape. The quality of his production doesn’t distract from this problem and serves only to smooth over the rough edges of what was a far-too-smooth sound to begin with. He does have a kind of interesting accent though….

–Shane Danaher

Piers FacciniTearing Sky***

Piers Faccini is either really sad or really fake. Or maybe he’s just quiet. I’m not really sure, but his somber take on the guitar-based singer-songwriter formula is nice. He’s like a less annoying and more creative Jack Johnson. And that makes sense–his main proponent is popular singer-dude Ben Harper (himself a much less annoying version of Johnson).

On his second album, Tearing Sky, Faccini basically nails the soulful-whispering, multi-instrumentalist bent that so many other artists are exploring. It’s not ultra-creative or anything, but there’s something very pleasant and unobtrusive to be found here. So if you like finger-picked guitars, achingly serene vocals and music that entices your attention rather than demands it, then Piers Faccini may be for you.

Piers Faccini will be playing at the Keller Auditorium with Ben Harper on Nov. 12. Tickets are $44.

– Ed Johnson