ReadabilityThe Big Eyes Family Players - Family Favourites
The Big Eyes Family Players
Family Favourites
Karate Body; 2011
After a long, monotonous day of keeping tabs on the perpetual whirlwind that is the blogosphere, I like to kick back and relax with a bit on inventive, introspective folk music. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with Iron & Wine or Bonnie “Prince” Billy (and there IS a lot wrong with Jack Johnson), my proclivities run in the direction of the sort of music created by The Big Eyes Family Players. On its new full-length record, Family Favourites, this UK collective has woven a veritable tapestry of engaging, instrumental folk tunes, complete with thick strains of gypsy and klezmer sensibilities and the occasional bit of twee indie-pop for some contrast.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate the lyrical stylings of someone like Sam Beam or Will Oldham, but I would rather let the brooding, haunting moods of this ten-song album wash over me without having someone’s voice enter my headspace. The music is warm and inviting on the whole, as peppy sections balance out the deeper, more pensive portions. I like the fact that haunting waltzes can sit comfortably by a good mid-tempo reel before settling back into a pleasant andante.
To the uninitiated (and/or those of you who only speak “blogger” or “hipster”), you will detect copious amounts of DeVotchKa, Beirut, and mid-period Sufjan Stevens. Others of you will hear the contemplative sounds of The Unthanks mixed with early-to-mid pop bounce of Belle And Sebastian, along with the chamber-folk Lewis & Clarke and the celebrated classical-music-meets-Americana of Aaron Copland. This is what happens when talented musicians are able to build dense, rich, massive layers of instrumentation ranging from familiar acoustic guitar tones, supple drums, and organ swells, to orchestral percussion and a cornucopia of violins, cellos, and woodwinds.
If describing music as pleasantly moody can be a compliment, then Family Favourites deserves rather high praise in that regard. Standout tracks like “Jack,” “Three Wheels,” “Bunny,” and “Lewis” display strong moods, as if the band is pouring its personal emotions straight into its assorted instruments and into our ears. It seems cliché to applaud The Big Eyes Family Players for being overtly expressive, but I greatly appreciate the care, concern, and forthright purpose the group gives to each song. It’s good to hear music of this nature display some actual heart and passion, because the last thing I want or need at the end of my day is to hear some simpering ninny crying into his guitar.
The Big Eyes Family Players
Family Favourites
Karate Body; 2011
After a long, monotonous day of keeping tabs on the perpetual whirlwind that is the blogosphere, I like to kick back and relax with a bit on inventive, introspective folk music. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with Iron & Wine or Bonnie “Prince” Billy (and there IS a lot wrong with Jack Johnson), my proclivities run in the direction of the sort of music created by The Big Eyes Family Players. On its new full-length record, Family Favourites, this UK collective has woven a veritable tapestry of engaging, instrumental folk tunes, complete with thick strains of gypsy and klezmer sensibilities and the occasional bit of twee indie-pop for some contrast.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate the lyrical stylings of someone like Sam Beam or Will Oldham, but I would rather let the brooding, haunting moods of this ten-song album wash over me without having someone’s voice enter my headspace. The music is warm and inviting on the whole, as peppy sections balance out the deeper, more pensive portions. I like the fact that haunting waltzes can sit comfortably by a good mid-tempo reel before settling back into a pleasant andante.
To the uninitiated (and/or those of you who only speak “blogger” or “hipster”), you will detect copious amounts of DeVotchKa, Beirut, and mid-period Sufjan Stevens. Others of you will hear the contemplative sounds of The Unthanks mixed with early-to-mid pop bounce of Belle And Sebastian, along with the chamber-folk Lewis & Clarke and the celebrated classical-music-meets-Americana of Aaron Copland. This is what happens when talented musicians are able to build dense, rich, massive layers of instrumentation ranging from familiar acoustic guitar tones, supple drums, and organ swells, to orchestral percussion and a cornucopia of violins, cellos, and woodwinds.
If describing music as pleasantly moody can be a compliment, then Family Favourites deserves rather high praise in that regard. Standout tracks like “Jack,” “Three Wheels,” “Bunny,” and “Lewis” display strong moods, as if the band is pouring its personal emotions straight into its assorted instruments and into our ears. It seems cliché to applaud The Big Eyes Family Players for being overtly expressive, but I greatly appreciate the care, concern, and forthright purpose the group gives to each song. It’s good to hear music of this nature display some actual heart and passion, because the last thing I want or need at the end of my day is to hear some simpering ninny crying into his guitar.
