Title: Stories From The Road
Artist: The Constructionist
Release Date: 2014 June 02
Genre: Downtempo Lo-Fi
License: CC BY-NC-ND
Label: Dusted Wax Kingdom
Introduction
The Constructionist, aka Jared, is a chef by day, and a producer / artist by night. His primary love is for old analog keyboards: Hammond organ (with Leslie), Rhodes piano, Moog synthesizers, etc. On this release he uses his vintage keyboards to tell us some of the road constructionist stories.
The Constructionist: Stories From The Road
This release is strongly based around the sounds and timbres The Cosntructionist has available in his vintage keyboard collection. And, he puts all these sounds to use in really excellent and impressive ways.
This release reminds me of visions of old western movies, smokey jazz clubs, and driving down vast stretches of empty highways. And yet, this release manages all these things.
The essence of this release is the feeling of driving down a highway in a convertible with the top down in the 1960’s. Slow drum grooves with disembodied melodies and rumbling piano and organ riffs abound on this release.
Each song represents a different place, or different experience. Places like ghost towns, or a mountain overlook abound in the imagery of this album. While experiences like being lost, or tunnel vision, and having a little open-road toke are available with every turn in this music.
In some respects, I wonder what movies (if any) were specific references for this music. Maybe Easy Rider, or perhaps Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas? Either would be appropriate for this music, but as I mentioned above, some of the classic spaghetti western’s might be a touch of influence as well on this release.
But it doesn’t make a difference what the inspirations were for this release in the overall picture. The Constructionist has taken his instruments of choice, and produced a wonderful, hazy, dreamy landscape for us to experience with him through his music. It’s a journey worth taking.
Conclusion
This release is a journey through American landscape, full of experiences that range from the “coming of age” type of experience, to the middle-aged person that has found the need to wander the lands in order to find themselves. It’s a journey of experience, learning, and getting back to the things that inspire you. The Constructionist is inspired by analog keyboards, and broad ranging audio imagery.
The only track I have a bit of an issue with on this release is ‘Sudden Impact’. Not because of the quality of the track, it’s very good, but it seems that The Constructionist felt that the level of this track needed to be higher than any of the other tracks on the release. As such it’s a disruption to the overall consistency of the release.
And yet, that being said, I had fun getting lost in this release. Wandering about in mysterious places, and exploring with the cave dwellers. I thought I was never going home after this experience because I didn’t want it to end.
The Constructionist: Stories From The Road
Free / Donation
7.5
