It has been a while since I heard so many musical things going on in around 20 minutes. So around from Minneapolis comes Pat Keen with Albatross, his digest of a second album. He’s able to fit in more ideas in such a brief period (only Chappy Coat clocks over three minutes) than it takes some artist to do on a double album. And what is even more formidable is that he was able to come up with an experimental pop record, where the accent is on both - pop and experimental. What that means is that the record is full of complex musical ideas that are utterly listenable at the same time.
Those familiar with more modern musical trends will make comparisons to, for example, Neutral Milk Hotel, Mt. Eerie and Dirty Projectors, those with a few more years behind them will also throw in XTC, and the duo extraordinaire Cardinal (both Richard Davies and Eric Matthews are still around making great off-kilter pop). Even the king of “heavy digest” rock, Cast. Beefheart and his masterpiece come to mind, more in concept than in any borrowed ideas. Oh, one more thing, in something that is becoming a sort of a tradition these days, Keen has recorded all the instruments and vocals himself.
Listening to this music, it is extraordinary for a few times, you actually, have are not given a chance to realise that it is so brief since Keen packs in so many ideas in the shortchanged time they are given to develop (some songs barely extend over a minute, some not even that long). But what is even more extraordinary, you get the sense that those musical ideas are not only fully developed but also fully realized. All is helped by the fact that Keen has an excellent singing voice and his guitar playing, in particular, is more than exemplary. Actually, his proficiency with any instrument included here is not to be faulted in any way.
A surprising small gem. Small only as far as its duration is concerned.
