John Vanderslice
Pixel Revolt
(Barsuk)
Listening to Pixel Revolt, it quickly becomes apparent that John Vanderslice posseses the kind of command over minimal-yet-powerful song textures that could make even Rob Thomas’ most soul-searching moments sound brilliant. This is part of the reason you can get halfway through the first listen before realizing how talented a songwriter Vanderslice is. Each track offers elements both bizarre and excellent, with offbeat narratives and inventive melodies. Album opener “Letters to The East Coast” is a perfect example of this. Tying metaphors about Joan Crawford and chess into a compelling soliloquy about an ailing relationship, it’s only one example of why Pixel Revolt is worth listening to for a troubling amount of time.
Matt Charlton
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
