Looper
The Snare
Mute
Stuart David takes some time out from his bass playing duties with Belle And Sebastian to do another album with the idiosyncratic Looper. There’s little on here to remind you of the charming pop of B&S, though, except for the wallowing in and deconstruction of musical cliches and references. But Looper are headed in another direction altogether, and the end result is an album of subdued crime noir theme songs and a soundtrack to some Lynchian cabaret show.
Like some less sardonic cross between Kleenex Girl Wonder, Scott 4, and Barry Adamson, Looper give off the air of residing on the surface of things, but closer inspection reveals a far more introspective and adventurous album than that would imply. A genuine sense of eerie suspense characterizes this album, where highlights include “Peacock Johnson,” “Lover’s Leap,” and the title track. You may have to put in a bit of effort on this one to really appreciate it, but it’s a grower, and well worth the time invested.
Mute Records: http://www.mute.com
