Album Review :
autumnboy - ghost of a broken record
By Casey Gallenberger in Reviews | 6 Comments
“I wanna be realistic, but I don’t wanna be imperfect,” a line from the provocatively-titled Kill Yourself, Become the Sky, serves as a good glimpse on what to expect from autumnboy’s debut release, “ghost of a broken record”. It’s raw (both lyrically and in terms of production), mixing elements of melodic hardcore, spoken word, and electronic drum beats. The first comparison that comes to mind is the latest Being As An Ocean record.
Although autumnboy is a solo project, there are a slew of guest appearances to help flesh out the album: from the well-known Chris Bernstorf to lesser-known artists like Hands & Feet and recording assistance from Kept on Hold, there is certainly a community behind this release.
While the lyrics are fairly laconic and gnomic, there’s an interesting level of music diversity. Vocals shuffle between singing, screaming, and spoken word. The title track is probably the most diverse on this end, opening with a mix of rapping and screaming. Musically, it’s primarily guitar-based, again with the use of electronic beats. I’m typically not a huge fan of this, but the beats are not overdone and there are plenty of moments where they’re entirely absent.
Thematically, the songs speak of struggles between faith, doubt, fear, pain, and self-hatred. Even in the midst of this, God is conveyed as the source of Truth and healing. This is best exemplified in the final track, Towers:
Break my towers down, I wanna see you in my weakness.
This is the type of album that thrives on its emotional context. Much like Hotel Books, Touché Amoré, and Pianos Become the Teeth, the mix of harsh vocals with laid-back instrumentation creates for an interesting atmosphere that ultimately allows the vocals to thrive.
It’s surprising how little attention this release got. There’s definitely mature songwriting at play here. While there does seem to be some small issues concerning cohesion at times, there’s honestly not too much to critique. It’s an enjoyable release that I definitely recommend you check out below:
I’m confused as to why this is classified as melodic hardcore.
Autumnboy (Lee) is a good buddy of mine, I watched the passion and effort he put into pulling all the pieces of this album together and while it’s definitely not my kind of music, I certainly agree that it should get a lot more attention than it has. I think Moonlight and the title track especially are incredibly impressive for a first release, and I can’t wait to see what he does next!! <3
Love this dude and this record so much. I have never met him in person but I wish I could give him a huge hug for making music so meaningful and powerful!
Love from across the pond, Lee!!
I love the art style surrounding this release, works well with the introspective vibes. His accent surprised me. I don’t love the whole thing but “Terrible” clicked with me. Really interesting sound.
Hey Mark, if you liked autumnboy check out The Other Thief and Me: https://tot-m.bandcamp.com/album/it-was-you
FFO: Hundredth, Worthwhile, and Hotel Books.
Thanks for the recommendation. I didn’t really like The Other Thief and Me but you reminded me that I still like Worthwhile.
What really made autumnboy most interesting was the electronic elements. Like an angry and emotional trip-hop, not something I’ve heard a lot of, it stood out as a unique listening experience. Even still, the only song I’ll be re-listening to is “Terrible”.