PHOSPHORESCENT - PRIDE (2007)
From - Manny
When I first got the PM i had a quick check up on the net while I was waiting for the link and the first thing that came to mind is how this was not sounding like something that was going to be easy for me to get into at all. The mention of 'indie-folk' and 'alternative country' immediately made me realise this wasnt gonna be up my street but I viewed this as a good thing. I would never check out this myself if it were based purely on the written word in any review I may stumble across.
Throughout the first track I was thinking the very same thing. The vocals were not doing a damn thing for me, if anything they were going right through me and I could already see myself giving a rather negative review but of course I kept listening. Now I'm finished and to be honest I havent the faintest idea what I think now or what my opinion of this record is as it completely threw me for six.
I like a lot of ambient music and this album certainly fits the bill which I think opened a few doors for me. It is very mellow sounding and beautifully spaced out so most of the tracks can make extremely soft and gentle use of an acoustic guitar, percussion, piano's and what must be countless different vocal parts to achieve some of the impressive harmonising.
Such a mellow, spacey album that it sounds a lot more minimalistic that it actually is. When listened to closely theres much more than going on than I personally would have realised had I only been half listening. It needs another listen or two before I can really go either way on this one but theres lots of potential.
