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LP: Clear vinyl
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Working under the name BC Camplight, Brian Christinzio writes literate, self-effacing, darkly funny songs about his personal life in a tone similar to Stephin Merritt or Father John Misty, though his pop savvy recalls the sophistication of Brian Wilson or Todd Rundgren, albeit with a maverick synth-punk streak.
Following 2018's cathartic Deportation Blues, Shortly After Takeoff completes what he refers to as his Manchester trilogy and the specter of his father's passing looms large within these enigmatic pop songs. An eerie textural atmosphere hangs like a mist throughout the album which dips and dives in surprising bursts of melody, harmony, and unexpected discord.
Christinzio is a master craftsman in terms of song structure, building tension and discomfort only to provide a glorious uplift and rhythmic shift on the chorus of opener, "I Only Drink When I'm Drunk." The wonderful "Back to Work" follows a similar path in reverse, delivering cinematic verses that reference his mother and Die Hard in a soaring falsetto before upending the cart into a stuttering sludgy chorus. "Cemetery Lifestyle," another highlight, stands as the album's most upbeat cut and offers plenty to love in terms of wonky production -- cheap-sounding Casios, Theremin, surf organ -- and playful Nilsson-esque charm. Among the album's heaping bouquet of standouts is Christinzio's pièce de résistance, "Ghosthunting," an exquisitely crafted orchestral mini-suite concerning his father's death that begins with a faux standup routine and segues into an emotionally haunting ballad beset with understated comic zingers like "at the funeral, my cousin, he asked me in small talk, 'are you making the people dance?' I said 'sure' and thought to myself, 'who does he think I am, Tame Impala?'"
Written from the heart and dredged from pop music's boneyard, Shortly After Takeoff feels like the album Christinzio has been working toward his whole career.
Tracklist
I Only Drink When I'm Drunk
Ghosthunting
Back To Work
Cemetery Lifestyle
I Want To Be In The Mafia
Shortly After Takeoff
Arm Around Your Sadness
Born To Cruise
Angelo
Soundwave
- Reviews
- Questions
IrelandThe only reason this doesn’t get 5 ⭐️ is that it’s a little too short in length but the quality is top drawer. I’ve had the pleasure of catching him/them live in Dublin a couple of times I wouldn’t name a favourite track as I think it works as a whole His life story so far would probably make a good � too
Top stuff. What a great album!
IrelandThe only reason this doesn’t get 5 ⭐️ is that it’s a little too short in length but the quality is top drawer & I’ve had the pleasure of catching him live in Dublin a couple of times I wouldn’t name a favourite track as I think it works as a whole His life story so far would probably make a good � too