Secretary Bird
Label: In De Goot
Length: LP
Media: CD
Format: Album
WorkNameSort: Secretary Bird
With this remarkably realized debut, L.A. musician Mike Semple steps out from behind his various collaborations (Friends of Dean Martinez, Campfire Girls and Giant Sand) in convincing stride. Awash in texture and mood, the album blends the earthy melodicism of early Josh Rouse with glimpses of Wilco, all swathed in raggedly intricate detailing that ranges from warm vibes and symphonic touches to swirling walls of Mary Chain’inspired noise. The heavy-lidded sound evokes rural heartbreak and after-hours solitude; its exhaling arcs are big and breezy, giving the album a spacious Out-West brand of languor. But don’t let the sleepy haze fool you, this collection’s pining loveliness is affecting from the first minute to the last. The open-armed, windows-down wistfulness of ‘Cornerstoneâ?� ends with a gloriously roaring crescendo of careening, squealing guitars while the panoramic Southwestern sway of ‘Tioâ?� rolls by like a desert wind. Thick with atmosphere, the record may emanate a simple heartland quality but it’s etched with experimentalism. The superb melody-crafting leaves an enduring impression that could make this album one of the year’s dark horses.
This article appears in Apr 18-24, 2007.