Raymond Raposa is searching for something in this Cathedral.
Musically and lyrically, the Castanets' major-label debut engages the listener in a search for something real embedded among an album of abstractions.
Raposa, who tested out of high school at age 15, traveled four years on a Greyhound bus searching for the same reality through worldly experience. The existence of this album is a testament to the fact that it hasn't been found.
Thank God.
This haunting LP is an eclectic combination of Americana and psychedelic rock that Raposa succinctly described as "derailed psych-country." Accompanied by members from Pinback, Rocket From the Crypt and Tristeza, Raposa succeeded in creating something unique.
Moody and imploring lyrics are offset by traditionally folksy acoustic guitar riffs and harmonicas. Throw in toy pianos, dulcimers, and the occasional Incubus-esque whale call, and the derailed aspect of the aforementioned description surfaces.
Some of the more folksy tracks, such as "Industry and Snow," are reminiscent of songs from old Modest Mouse albums. Other tracks, namely "Cathedral 2" and "Cathedral 4," more resemble The Velvet Underground. Occasionally, a bit of Bob Dylan is discernible in Raposa's vocals.
Unfortunately, Raposa's musings might not be entirely accessible to those of us less inclined to spurts of genius. His attempts to express unattainable understanding in the album might prove detrimental to the band's popularity.
Castanets might, in fact, be most fittingly compared in the musical sense to the literary contributions of Faulkner: folksy, but somewhat esoteric. The album's lyrics are exemplary of this assertion. Put to music, they are undeniably rhythmic and poetic, but somewhat indiscernible.
