FORAGER enters the scene with a life-affirming, full-hearted debut.
Pipedream Firewood, an album written and recorded over two and a half years, recalls the band’s Brooklyn roots, layering frenetic grooves under hazy harmonic leaps and meditative questions.
The result is a charismatic, funk and folk-imbued pop sound, all fat snares and four-part harmonies, oblivious to trend.
FORAGER’s inspiration emerges in spontaneous bursts––“Slice of the Cloud” came out of a 10-day isolation-imposed challenge to record a new song daily. ”Fuji or a Trek” was dreamed up mid-bike ride to Coney Island. “Magical Thinking” existed only as a voice-memo of solo acoustic guitar for two years, and was morphed into a full-fledged song in 30 minutes.
The trio’s musicianship shines through without ostentation; their songs are structured, direct, and often danceable, revealing fleeting embellishments and lyrical winks on a second or third listen. “Edgewise,” the vigorous opening track peppered with guitarist’s Jack Broza’s nimble melodic cascades, bemoans an old friend who won’t stop talking. On “Can Both Be True?”—highlighted by NPR as a top entry in this year’s Tiny Desk Contest—lead vocalist Shyamala riffs fluidly through a three-octave range, contemplating unknowability in love. And “Fuji or a Trek” laments the deadening impact of age on one’s impulse to make fun mistakes, set to drummer Colum Enrique’s fiendish DnB pulse. “Sex is still a big deal,” announces the narrator ruefully.
Pipedream Firewood is music made to be performed liveand in community, deftly rendered in this spirited record.
Performed by Shyamala (vocals), Jack Broza (guitars, keys, bass), and Colum Enrique (drums), mixed by Jack Broza and mastered by Jamie Lawrence.
LISTEN & SHARE: FORAGER – Pipedream Firewood
Stream | Soundcloud
LISTEN & SHARE: FORAGER – “Hello to the Kiddies”
Stream | Soundcloud
LISTEN & SHARE: FORAGER – “Fuji or a Trek”
Stream | Soundcloud
