HOUSES - A Quiet Darkness

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Artpop/Pop | Heft: Jahrgang 2013, eclipsed Nr. 152 / 7-8-2013 | VÖ-Jahr: 2013 | Wertung: 6/10 | Label: Cooperative | Autor: MaB


Almost three years after their debut CD "All Night", the L.A. based duo Houses is now following up the concept work "A Quiet Darkness". It's designed like a road trip: Two spouses are separated due to a nuclear catastrophe and start searching for each other along California's Highway 10 before dying of the consequences of the Super GAU. In keeping with the theme, Dexter Tortoriello and his wife Megan Messina immerse the eleven songs in a predominantly carried sound that is characterized by piano chords, ambient playing and airy programming. There are several reasons why the famous spark still does not want to jump over. On the one hand, the underlying subject actually requires certain harmonic points of friction, which, however, can hardly arise due to the prevailing major sounds. On the other hand, the vocal arrangements are not very variable, since Tortoriello's voice of Messina is usually only doubled in octave intervals. Last but not least, some of the melodies seem too smooth ("Peasants", "Tenderly"). Draught is thus prevented from the outset.

Top track: Big Light

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