Imagine Lennon fronting Animal Collective. Or the Born Ruffians with more synth and less guitar. If you guys remember and/or liked Gus (Black), who did “Baby Blue Airplane” (deeped, unfortunately -- what a great fucking tune), you know what I’m on about. Light feel-good indie electro pop that nonetheless seems grounded in folk guitar. Charming, really. Glamtastic vocals a la Franz or U2. The record is laid-back, low key, and not terribly exciting, but it has an organic, unforced feel to it, which I like. One man band (Michael Johnson), ex-member of Holopaw and Lilys. Underlying all these tracks is an original Moog (!!), which makes Mr. J one of the SOUPER cool kids, now doesn’t it? No one track is head-and-shoulders above the rest. Chill out music, what?

try: 2, 4, 9, 7
FCC: 10

1. soft start. dreamy, easy, slow... picks up to a bass-driven bop midway. has a glam edge. i’m hearing of montreal. last 10 seconds bloop out.
*2. laid back draggy cymbal beat and purposeful fingerpicked down-home twanger guitar. simple, pretty, effective.
3. see: yellow submarine. franz-esque vocals and a sunshiny head-tocky beat. at 0:58, it soothes out in pure beatles fashion. fade it out there or never.
*4. upbeat, marching snare. high harmonies. rapid low vocals and drums. kinda busy and confusing at first, but it grows on you.
5. starts with spaceship noise. slightly ploddy/abrasive, but in good spirits. high bellsy synth and blow-out bass.
6. high-register crooner. dream pop, etc. there are bells.
7. jungle epic! cut to what sounds like a timpani and deep pedal piano. minor descending vocals.
8. soouuper bendy guitar. think the country bears on sloooo moooo.
*9. sounds like the title, but faster. march/romp. noise starts at :18.
10. FCC (“dumbfuck”, “fuck you”) freaking awesome sound effects. great trashcanny beat. FCC wail.
11. upbeat, offbeat, wonky waltz. cut to solo electric and sweet vocals. deconstructs into dreamscape.
12. intros with rapid single-note piano, jazz sax and... bassoon? solid crash-heavy drums and low vocals come in for minute two. gets VERY quiet in minutes 2-3. might want to fade out instead.
13. big boomy drums and a pushy, almost disco beat. kinda catchy vocal vamp takes over for the entire second half of the track. abrupt segue to very soft music box for last 20 seconds.