Kramies / European, The
Album: European, The   Collection:General
Artist:Kramies   Added:Dec 2011
Label:Hidden Shoal  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2012-03-02 Pull Date: 2012-05-05
Week Ending: Apr 29 Apr 15 Apr 8 Mar 25 Mar 18 Mar 11
Airplays: 1 2 2 2 2 1

Recent Airplay
1. May 06, 2012: There and Back Again
Coal Miners Executive Club
4. Apr 08, 2012: Synthesis
Coal Miners Executive Club
2. Apr 25, 2012: The Independent Mind
Inventors
5. Apr 06, 2012: There and Back Again
The European
3. Apr 12, 2012: Synthesis
Coal Miners Executive Club
6. Apr 01, 2012: Synthesis
Coal Miners Executive Club

Album Review
Be Sharp
Reviewed 2012-02-26
Kramies is a one-man show: an indie/folky singer-songwriter-guitarist with synthesizer. Imagine Donovan sitting in with an 80s synth-pop group. The style here is unusual and interesting: the guitar generally just a strummed acoustic, but the backing keyboard work is rich and orchestral. The guy can sing pretty well too.

No FCC issues.

1 Slow & hypnotic. Vocal is a short, repeated chorus, sung in a trance like mood. In the background, an electronic tone and static. Track ends with these noises fading out. (2:20)

2 * Mid slow. Pop. Good multi-layered male vocal. Simple guitar strumming, but big soaring synthesizers, including both a synth’d string section and an organ tone. (5:25)

3 ** Mid to quick 6/8. Pretty good folk-pop song. Melody is nice; lyrics a bit hard to make out. Synth has a bell-like tone. (3:15)

4 *** Up-tempo & catchy. A happy spirit to it, but also a dreamy & foggy sound quality. A lot going on: syncopated drum machine, a piano for the first time, big soaring synths. By far the most interesting song on the record, a positive lyric, definitely the best vox. (4:15)

5 maybe * Very slow. Again a mix of strumming guitar & space-age synths. A pleasant feeling haze, but a bit tedious. (4:08)

Track Listing
1. Intro   3. Inventors
2. The European   4. Coal Miners Executive Club
  5. Antiquarian Days