Barsuk, 2005
John Vanderslice's latest effort, Pixel Revolt, is what some would dub a lyrical masterpiece -- and, of course, not without just cause. At times, Vanderslice's mostly unique lyrical style resembles that of John Darnielle, better known in the music world as The Mountain Goats, and in the liner notes, such comparisons are given a reason for existence: Darnielle and Vanderslice are, apparently, friendly enough that Darnielle "edited, expanded, and otherwise improved upon" Pixel Revolt's lyrical content. Darnielle, who has frequently toured with John Vanderslice, is not the victim of a single-sided relationship, either: John Vanderslice produced both of The Mountain Goats two most recently released albums, The Sunset Tree, released in 2005, and We Shall All Be Healed, released in 2004, both by 4AD.
Pixel Revolt is simultaneously a very personal, real effort and a work that frequently delves into fiction as a form of expression. "New Zealand Pines" is an excellent example of the former, as he shares vocals with Oakland-based singer/songwriter, Nedelle, in what Vanderslice describes as "a love letter to my ex-girlfriend." From such a staggeringly personal track, he delves into "Radiant With Terror," an adaptation of Robert Lowell's Cold War-era nuclear warning poem. From this, Vanderslice approaches "Continuation," which plays out nearly like an episode of The X-Files, speaking of four detectives investigating a series of murders by a serial killer. The twist is, of course, that the serial killer has recently turned up dead, and the killings are continuing in the same manner, and the detectives become suspects. The story ends suspensefully and abruptfully, as Vanderslice jumps into yet another piece.
The lyrical content of Pixel Revolt, however important, is not John Vanderslice's only source of wonder: simple, perfunctory listening reveals layers of instrumentation and production that have been intensely crafted. If not for his excellent song writing, Vanderslice would undoubtedly have a very viable future as a record producer. Pixel Revolt is simply easy to listen to, and immensely difficult to stop listening to. From gated acoustic guitars and Vanderslice's cutting vocals, to warm strings and Moog synthesizers, Pixel Revolt is as diverse as a Beatles album -- and while Vanderslice may not be approaching the historical status of The Fab Four -- such a feat is difficult to accomplish, to say the least -- he does manage to create one of the most interesting albums of 2005.