Andy Shauf sounds like Josh Rouse on 1972 album, all faux '70s singer-songwriter angst. Whispered asides in melodic, melancholic patterns weave a seductive charm that just sucks in the listener.
The late Elliot Smith is often cited as a key influence in this hitherto obscure Canadian’s indie oeuvre.
Smith’s ability to create light out of darkness is replicated in this tense, moody examination of a party and its actors and actions.
Songs such as The Worst in You wear their Smith debt with pride, but there are a number of gorgeous saturnine ballads that are more than the sum of their influences, not least the measured Early to the Party.
Aside from the perfectly placed strings, Shauf takes care of everything, playing, singing and generally creating a sound that is both beautiful and beautifully troubling – understated, imaginative chamber pop.
