On John Vanderslices' latest album, the singer-songwriter works with California's Magik*Magik Orchestra to bring a new level of intricacy to his music. Nearly every song here is lavishly decorated with brass, woodwinds, and strings, but the live recording style keeps the music from feeling static or confined. Some songs pale in comparison to others, but at least the instrumentation swoops in to save the day when that happens. Though the album is definitely something Vanderslice fans should check out, it may be hard for a new listener to see the excitement or originality in a songwriter working with arranged instrumentation.
WATCH THE REVIEW