Album Review - Owen Pallett - Heartland

4.5/5

I guess you can't really complain when it is just the second month of the year, your album listening count consists of 14 items, and you keep having problems choosing your favorite three. This is what 2010 looks like for me at the moment. Of course there have been some albums I kinda would have expected a little bit more *cough* Massive Attack *cough*, this are few in comparison to the nice chances I have taken into new music. Take a look at my top 7 albums, and they are my first listening of the respective artist, however as I rehear the albums again, it's the last one played which I believe is the best (I have this same effect with books).

So after listening to Owen Pallett's third studio album, I have just moved it to my top place of twenty-ten. The reason is simple. At first listen, I thought this was a little too weird for me, but after some more listens, I just can't understand how could I have thought about that. This is such an easy to like album, it is greatly texture filled, and all these textures fit perfectly, never sounding pretentious, quirky or out of the line. Then, the vocals are smooth and clean, well, not clean, because I can't really understand what he is saying (nor did I after reading the lyrics), but they are ear pleasing.

At this moment, I have no doubts this will end up on my top 10 of the year, a year which I hope just keeps rising up in quality. It is true, Heartland might not really challenge your musical mind to uneasy levels, but who has ever said good albums need to? Listen and enjoy.

Owen Pallett - Lewis Takes Off His Shirt