Review: John Vanderslice - Emerald City

Posted on 18 August 2007 | No Comments

Filed Under: Album Reviews, Indie Rock

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To be perfectly honest with you, I’ve never been a big John Vanderslice fan (until now that is). I’m a fan of many of the records he has produced as well as his Tiny Telephone recording studio, but I’ve always thought of him as a producer first and a musician second. That is strange since as a former four-track enthusiast and fan of experimental indie pop, I should perhaps be looking at Vanderslice as something of an icon. As gifted a musician as Vanderslice is, his songs have never really affected me one way or the other. They simply were there. On Emerald City, however, Vanderslice seems to have finally emerged as songwriter to be reckoned with. Instead of adding multiple layers of effects and instrumentation to make the songs, the songs themselves are strong enough that the production takes a backseat to his allegorical narratives and lazy melodies.

Like many of Vanderslice’s other albums, Emerald City is remarkably consistent and pleasantly listenable indie pop that never rocks too hard nor sways too far the other way either. It is an album whose “dirty hi-fi” world is populated by distorted acoustic guitars, multi-tracked vocals, electronic programming, and all sorts of other subtle instrumentation that helps bring out the best in his masterful electro-acoustic arrangements.

Lyrically, Emerald City is largely inspired by Vanderslice’s frustration with post 9/11 American politics and the legal troubles after a visa application for his girlfriend, a French national he met in Paris, was rejected by US Immigration. His disappointment and also his political leanings are evident in lyrics like, “Looks like September has won once again,” and rightfully so. But rather than taking cheap shots, Vanderslice tells stories in his loose and almost haphazard (but endearing) lyrical style. It makes for a much more compelling listen.

Somehow in its brief 38 minute running time Emerald City manages to cover a lot of ground both musically and lyrically. It is a a tightly spun album that has significantly changed my opinion of John Vanderslice the songwriter for the better. Emerald City is out now on the fabulous Barsuk Records and the more I listen to it, the better it gets.

MP3 | John Vanderslice – White Dove Emerald City