Twelvefour
Reviews
Francis D
Reviewed 2015-10-29
Reviewed 2015-10-29
“Twelvefour” The Paper Kites
Concept album from the five-piece indie folk-rock outfit, The Paper Kites, out of Melbourne, Australia. This is their second full-length album, to go with two previously released EPs. The twelvefour name reflects the fact that all the songs were written between midnight and 4 a.m. (Lead singer/songwriter Sam Bentley produced 30 demos in two straight months of working nightly only during the hours when artists are supposed to be at their creative peak!) In this album, the band moves away at times from its softer folk sound on States (2013) by incorporating more electric guitar into the tracks. The result is a fabulous 10-song set of rock and folk-rock tunes.
— Francis
Recommended: 1, 4, 7, 2, 5, 9. No FCCs.
1. (3:44) Electric Indigo — Upbeat indie rock, with shimmering guitars and reverbed drums. Simple, soaring vocals. ****
2. (3:57) Renegade — Strumming guitar and lightly stepping rhythm. Almost jazzy feeling. Hypnotic, storytelling vocals. ***
3. (4:21) Bleed Confusion — Stately pace. Hushed, sometimes almost spoken vocals over repeated piano. Exquisite, fragile harmonies by Christina Lacy. Simple guitar work.
4. (4:24) Revelator Eyes — Jangly and melodic. Energetic, up-tempo rhythm made by drum machine and a real drum kit. Glistening guitar. Bentley’s and Lacy’s harmonized vocals sound like they’re from a 1980s Tom Cruise movie. ****
5. (4:26) Neon Crimson — Fingerpicked electric guitar. Rich, harmonized vocals create a lush landscape of sound. **
6. (3:35) I’m Lying to You Cause I’m Lost — Folk-rock, with just a hint of a twang to it. Catchy melody.
7. (4:26) A Silent Cause — Peaceful. Acoustic tune with lovely fingerpicked guitar. A touch of harmonies. Reminiscent of early Simon and Garfunkel. ***
8. (4:48) Woke Up from a Dream — Bouncy folk-rock tune with garage-y electric guitar. Maybe a little like Ryan Adams?
9. (3:55) Turns Within Me, Turns Without Me — Wistful and melodic, featuring the guitar work of Dave Powys. Twinkling synths and Bentley’s from-the-heart vocals add just the right touches. **
10. (6:14) Too Late — Sprawling, six-minute closer. Pensive vocals. Simple backbeat. Slow burn…builds to something bigger, then finishes quietly.
Concept album from the five-piece indie folk-rock outfit, The Paper Kites, out of Melbourne, Australia. This is their second full-length album, to go with two previously released EPs. The twelvefour name reflects the fact that all the songs were written between midnight and 4 a.m. (Lead singer/songwriter Sam Bentley produced 30 demos in two straight months of working nightly only during the hours when artists are supposed to be at their creative peak!) In this album, the band moves away at times from its softer folk sound on States (2013) by incorporating more electric guitar into the tracks. The result is a fabulous 10-song set of rock and folk-rock tunes.
— Francis
Recommended: 1, 4, 7, 2, 5, 9. No FCCs.
1. (3:44) Electric Indigo — Upbeat indie rock, with shimmering guitars and reverbed drums. Simple, soaring vocals. ****
2. (3:57) Renegade — Strumming guitar and lightly stepping rhythm. Almost jazzy feeling. Hypnotic, storytelling vocals. ***
3. (4:21) Bleed Confusion — Stately pace. Hushed, sometimes almost spoken vocals over repeated piano. Exquisite, fragile harmonies by Christina Lacy. Simple guitar work.
4. (4:24) Revelator Eyes — Jangly and melodic. Energetic, up-tempo rhythm made by drum machine and a real drum kit. Glistening guitar. Bentley’s and Lacy’s harmonized vocals sound like they’re from a 1980s Tom Cruise movie. ****
5. (4:26) Neon Crimson — Fingerpicked electric guitar. Rich, harmonized vocals create a lush landscape of sound. **
6. (3:35) I’m Lying to You Cause I’m Lost — Folk-rock, with just a hint of a twang to it. Catchy melody.
7. (4:26) A Silent Cause — Peaceful. Acoustic tune with lovely fingerpicked guitar. A touch of harmonies. Reminiscent of early Simon and Garfunkel. ***
8. (4:48) Woke Up from a Dream — Bouncy folk-rock tune with garage-y electric guitar. Maybe a little like Ryan Adams?
9. (3:55) Turns Within Me, Turns Without Me — Wistful and melodic, featuring the guitar work of Dave Powys. Twinkling synths and Bentley’s from-the-heart vocals add just the right touches. **
10. (6:14) Too Late — Sprawling, six-minute closer. Pensive vocals. Simple backbeat. Slow burn…builds to something bigger, then finishes quietly.
Recent airplay
Electric Indigo
KZSU Time Traveler — Sep 10, 2021
Revelator Eyes
KZSU Time Traveler — Aug 14, 2020
Electric Indigo
Audio Ambrosia — Sep 15, 2019
Too Late
KZSU Time Traveler — Jan 20, 2017
Electric Indigo
Time Traveler — Dec 09, 2016
Revelator Eyes
Time Traveler (Top 34 of 2015) — Jan 08, 2016
Charting
2015-11-01 — 2016-01-03
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Jan 3 | 2 |
| Dec 27 | 1 |
| Dec 20 | 1 |
| Dec 13 | 2 |
| Dec 6 | 1 |
| Nov 29 | 2 |
| Nov 22 | 4 |
| Nov 15 | 3 |
Track listing
| 1. | Electric Indigo | ||
| 2. | Renegade | ||
| 3. | Bleed Confusion | ||
| 4. | Revelator Eyes | ||
| 5. | Neon Crimson | ||
| 6. | I'm Lying To You Cause I'm Lost | ||
| 7. | A Silent Cause | ||
| 8. | Woke Up From A Dream | ||
| 9. | Turns Within Me, Turns Without Me | ||
| 10. | Too Late |