Owen: Ghost Town

    It's not actually possible to keep track of all the indie releases that take place over the course of a year. I make an effort to check indierockcafe.com once in a while to see who they have under their 'New Releases', and I think this one fell through the cracks. Out November 8, 2011 on Polyvinyl Records, Ghost Town is the sixth full length by solo artist Mike Kinsella, who operates out of Chicago, and seems to be a pretty substantial part of the indie scene in the windy city. Kinsella has been on quite a journey, starting in 1989 with the formation of Cap'N Jazz, a post-hardcore emo outfit started alongside his brother Tim. The group ran until 1995 with good success. Next, Mike started Joan of Arc, which is an emo math rock gig still running--even released its 14th LP in May of 2011. During JOA, Mike formed another project, American Football, a band that ran from 1997-2000 in Chicago, playing more of the same emo math rock (seeing a pattern?) and putting out two albums. Finally, Mike was in Owls with Tim in 2001-2002, when JOA "dissolved". The Owls eventually just became JOA again because its participants basically had not changed (Tim has led that group its entire existence), and Mike continued his solo career as Owen which he began in 2001.
    So, a warning upfront, to my readers that might care, there are explicit lyrics in a few songs, one word here or there basically, nothing like listening to hip hop these days! Anyway, Owen reminds me somewhat of Mice Parade, with the math rock elements in the rhythms, guitar and drums, depending on the song, and his voice a bit too even. Ghost Town, along with his previous work, I'm sure, is not the super intense math rock that you might think of, like Fang Island or This Town Needs Guns, but you can hear where he has come from. There are also very expressive or emotional lyrics that leave the feeling that the writer is searching, or undecided about life. Overall, I think Mike Kinsella's progression from Cap'N Jazz to here has continually shaped his solo music and is melodically and acoustically reacted against the heavier rock he used to create. Just my initial impression.
    The album really is quite beautiful at points, with the non-acoustic elements that are added. The strings are gentle and soothing in "Two Many Moons", with sweet sounding harmonics like Andrew Bird uses, and the layered acoustic guitar is prismatic. A marimba in the next song, "No Place Like Home" is an unlikely but welcomed touch, and the track actually has electric guitar and includes heavier sections that are more math rock influenced. The distortion is not overdone and a great contrast. "O, Evelyn" is sort of a ballad, pulsing and swaying followed by "I believe", a song that fades in and out but not before fluctuating between softer and louder tones. By this point, I'm really struck by how someone who maybe liked Death Cab for Cutie might like Owen. I hear similarities. "The Armoire" utilizes synths that just hover and sit in the background of a piano and broken chord guitar accompaniment. The electric guitar returns at key moments to add a nice edge too.
    Without giving away the whole album, I'll leave the rest for you to discover on your own, I think I have given you enough so you know what to expect, but I can't describe melodies or harmonies or styles completely, and now it's your turn to just sit back, binge, and enjoy! Under 'Monthly Sample Tracks' is the final track "The Armoire", which I think gives the best preview of all you might hear.