World's Most Stressed Out Gardener (studio album)
by Chad VanGaalen

From Mercury 04/29/2021 05:21

(I wildly fascinating psych rock and folk album. I thought of many other artists when listening yet, at the same time, generally VanGaalen manages to carve out a place which is his and his alone.)

Yes, I heard elements of MGMT, KGLW, Animal Collective, Of Montreal and whole oodles of other artists that came into my life when I was 19 years old in the summer of 2008. That may be due to the fact that he was and is a contemporary of all those acts (outside of King Giz) and thus has a similar DNA in his music as those artists. (although, side note, gotta admit I was 100% unaware of him, his name and his music before this album adventure.) Yet... despite there beings myriad moments that would make me go "oh wait, that reminds me of ____!" there was a unique power to these tunes that I chalk up as distinctly VanGaalen's.

The way he creates these unexpectedly moving and brittle and beautiful melodies is brilliant, Going in, I didn't think I'd get misty eyed on some of these tracks, moved to near tears. But that is what happened on "Where Is It All Going?" and on the instrumental just after "Earth from a Distance" to a lesser or less overwhelming degree - oh and on the instrumental "Plant Music" as well I felt a sentimental something I never though I'd feel. That ability to kinda conjure up these psych dreams is on display with that fucking killer start to "Nothing Is Strange" which sounds like a stroll through some kaleidoscopic jungle, or on the mysterious trip of "Inner Fire" or the childish and dreamy romantic something on the ramshackle "Golden Pear". The rockers and more out-there jamming bits/tracks are cool too, such as on "Nightmare Scenario", and "Starlight".

Anyway, this is getting a little rambly. In closing (I Think) I really thought this was a fascinating and warm and creative and nostalgic album for me. It is just a solid as hell album. The only critique (and I'm not fully convinced of what I'm about to say) is that the general through-line or vibe or flow of the album is broken up and fractured half a dozen times. What it has in variety it loses in some cohesiveness.

Okay, that's all I'll say.