|
Peter Adams' sophomore release, I Woke With Planets In
My Face, is a garden of musical delights with pleasing, aphrodisiac-like
esplanades, fantasy-shingled-folk, and chamber-pop psychedelics that
caramelize into the symphony of world music factions seeded from a
gamut of Russian-esque strings, Middle Eastern beats, Gypsy-encased
accordion keys, and toy-like kazoos. The album's synth-pop bling and
avant bent shares a theatrical propensity to Leerone with fantasy-like
patterns relatable to Sigur Ros' spacey arias and glittery
atmospherics. Adams' album leaves everything in the hands of the listener's
imagination, displaying dazzling melodies and orchestral florals which
morph into beautifully crafted molecules that spawn lush kaleidoscopic
murals. The tracks have a flaccid sonorousness and flouncy gait that
fascinates listeners, and holds them transfixed to the zigzagging
movements and intricate jetties which are opulent and plentiful.
Adams masonry shows a broad range of creativity and melodic sensibilities
which distinguish him from his peers, while also displaying a broad
range of influences from such notable figures as Neutral Milk Hotel
and Phillip Glass. Adams' atmospherics bubble gently as they
wind-up and release with a casual trot. The trickle of watery synth
effects along "In The Great Green Room" are gingerly creped
by the Gypsy-like accordion keys, which light up and fade delicately
and allow the metallic sprigs to come alive. The gentle twists along
"The Observatory" are buttoned by folksy bobbins which have
a Say Hi-crackle, while the delightful sputter of dancing tambourines
jangle with an infectious Gypsy-vaunt along "Conversation With
The Moon." The crystal-like shine of Peter Adams' music is comparable
to Phillip Glass as he rouches chamber-pop riffs along ambient-filled
sound effects, like in "Ziggurat." His stately melodies
are vast stretches of blissful jaunts that amalgamate buoyant Gypsy-beats
with folksy psychedelics, and form delightful murals for the listener.
The orchestral waves ribboning across "I Was Looking At The Ceiling,
And Then I Saw The Sky" have a spacey feel as they elevate and
move with a rattle that resembles a twinkling constellation. The woeful
mood in the strings of "Antarctica" segue into the vivacious
lifts of "Ghost In The Fen" with fantasy-like effects and
exotic strings intertwining and propping each other up. The chord
movements flower and splash into each other with the playfulness of
a child. The track "Annabel Lee" has a Gypsy-punk beat and
clusters of country overtones that mingle affectionately with the
merry kazoo, while the flaccid strings of "The Seventh Seal"
gavel sprightly along the paths of ambient waterways and dewy drops
of dulcet keyboards.
One could easily be convinced that these songs are the result of
a gathering of elves, fairies, sprites, and pixies with the way the
music gleams and sparkles. Adams calls his music "violin-soaked
punk-rock folk" on his website, which sums up the album in a
nutshell. The songs are a type of folk art that shows a culling of
classical elements with folk music, and uses an innovative approach
to infusing them with a fantasy-pop vibe and space-age atmospherics.
The gully of dreamy-scapes and rollicking beats has a natural swirl
that illuminates the music with a crystal-like shine that engulfs
the listener in its mysticism. Adams made his debut with his critically
acclaimed 2005 album The Spiral Eyes, and his second album
I Woke With Planets In My Face is bound to continue his ascent.
It is the type of album that causes you to pick up something new in
the intricacies of the songs with each subsequent listen.
-Susan Frances
Check out more
reviews
 Talk
Back
e-mail the chief
Like this article?
e-mail
it to a friend!
|
Peter
Adams 
