Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
(Tomlab)
Vs. Children is probably the most textured and advanced record to come out of Owen Ashworth's tenure as Casiotone For the Painfully Alone. Of course, the simple vintage keyboard and drum machine sounds that have been his tools since the beginning are still present. But, perhaps thanks to the production work from friend and fellow musician Jason Quever (Papercuts), the record has a bigger, brighter, fuller sound.
That being sound, Ashworth's lyrics and melodies are still generally morose, but in an "it feels good to feel bad" kind of way. "Tom Justice, The Choir Boy Robber, Apprehended at Ace Hardware in Libertyville, IL" kicks off the record, a melancholy tale of a former co-worker of Ashworth's who really did lead a life of crime. This is vintage CFTPA, a sampled pop-hop drumbeat under toy piano chords and an antiquated organ line. "Optimist vs. The Silent Alarm (When The Saints Go Marching In)," on the other hand, is almost a barroom burner, riffing on the standard the title references, with Ashworth singing about raising a family "on Schlitz and Mickey Mouse." Elsewhere, San Diego country-rock band the Donkeys sit in to back Ashworth up, as does French singer Julie Lispector (on the lo-fi electro "Man O' War").
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone's music dreams of better times but always manages to find the pleasure in the everyday mechanics of work, life, love, and the human condition. And that's what allows an album like Vs. Children to speak to its listener clearly and empathetically.
Standout Tracks: "The Simple Life," "Happy House" JONAH FLICKER
