Waking Hours

Artist: Japancakes
Album: Waking Hours
Label: Warm Electronic Recordings

Alt.-country jam band that makes good use of synths. To me, a slightly confusing combination, and hence ear-grabbing. Just when you think you’re listening to an Oklahoma bar band, they bust out some weird synth backup, surf guitar reference, or classical counterpoint. Fits in with the Wilco/Calexico sound. The structure in some tracks is pretty loose, being improvised. I liked the slow stuff, principally 2 6, 7. More active tracks are 1, 5 and 10.

1) 60 bpm. Hoving electronic dissonance, background clicks. Later, pedal guitar (!), drum beat, and violin, morphs into Americana ala Wilco. Fades back into spare electronica.
2) 72 bpm. Delicate pedal guitar intro, then alt. country. More introspective acoustic middle section. Recommended.
3) 60 bpm. Quiet solo piano. Sound ends ~10s before the end.
4) 82 bpm. Introspective electric guitar. Develops a beat, and falls into alt. country.
5) 144 bpm. Violin, quiet electronics, pedal guitar, bass. Major key and sunny. The mellowest surf guitar ever.
6) 72 bpm. Solo piano intro, then strings and pedal guitar. Has a nice piano coda. Recommended.
7) 48 bpm. Spare guitars, high bass line. Opens up in the middle, then has a lovely fade out. Recommended.
8) 70 bpm. Subdued solo piano. Ends about 10 s early.
9) 80 bpm. Piano opening, slightly bluesy. Later, pedal guitar.
10) Kick ass! Counterpoint! Rockin’ synth, sad cello. Pedal guitar and beat sneak in. Several shifts in feel between guitar and drums, to strings, and back. Cool.

Alex D.