Alvarius B. / Baroque Primitiva / Abduction Records / 2011

So the guy has some 30 years of experience in the music biz, and it shows. He’s decided to show his talent and originality with a subtle lo-fi style, with his own creations as well as many covers of classic songs in an impressively creative way that stands alone.
This can be listened at nearly any time for any reason, with acoustic sounds and vocals that are strangely strong within their softly framing vocals.
So that was a bunch of bla bla bla, but really, this guy is interesting and very diverse (though not in an incongruous way). Many other reviews have raved about him as “strikingly sincere”, “unexpectedly intimate and straightforward”, and “slithery, spindling songwriting brilliance”, and for good reason.
It’s folky, lo-fi, melancholic stuff, using a giddy guitar (spanish styled at times) with a piercing and confident voice that is definitely worth listening to.
Most of his songs are more or less instrumental, with no actual lyrics but just vocals. (And the album artwork is a neat woman mandala presented in a mini booklet. Classy.)
Similar to Daniel Johnston, Devendra Banhart, Damien Jurado, and even Beatles / Beach Boys (though more piercing).

Favorites - 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 11
FCC Clean


1: “The Dinner Party” (3:17) - Spanish style guitar with Spanish lyrics, very pleasant to hear, similar to Devendra Banhart and the Beach Boys
2:* “Mussolini’s Exit” (2:07) - Guitar similar to Harry Taussig, a great tune that needs no words at all, stands strong with accented chords and a melodious hum/skat in the back, (no lyrics, basically instrumental)
3:* “Humor Police” (2:21) - Neat folky interruptions between the remorseful lyrics in a maniacal blues way
4: “You Only Live Twice” (3:20) - Similar to Daniel Johnson’s ‘Some Things Last a Long TIme’, a piercing song, with eerie guitar and lyrics
5:* “Face to Face with a Couple Axes” (2:44) - Instrumental. Melodious vocals back the mellow chords beautifully, a lovely nighttime song to zone out to
6: “Well Known Stranger” (4:15) - Lo-fi, very mellow electric guitar with piano and the piercing voice (similar to Daniel Johnston), good lyrics, though not the most clear for airplay
7: “Naturally Absolute” (3:45) - Piano and organ add nicely to the Beach Boy style background vocals, Instrumental (more or less). Good theme song.
8: “Funny Thing Is...” (3:41) - Sad and cheery at the same time, mellow, simple guitars, more vocal hum alongs with no actual lyrics. Keyboard organ in this one.
9:** “3 Dead Girls” (1:45) - Strong whiskeyed guitar tune, his experience shows nicely, with a melodious almost hermaphrodite voice (no lyrics - instrumental). Blues mixed with something else... not sure what to compare to, stands alone.
10:* “Like That Madri Gal” (4:21) - Played in a sort of walking pace, with epiphanies of sounds throughout, and angelic vocals with a smooth acoustic guitar path. Very pleasant.
11:** “God Only Be Without You” (5:13) - Beach Boys cover, and a neat one at that! Viola is dancing around psychedelically in this one and goes quite well with the vocals and droning background. Strange experimental distortion at the end. Worth a listen.
-KRouff