Cavalier (track) by James Vincent McMorrow

From soundguardian 01/12/2014 09:14

A resplendent leading song of probably the first highly-acclaimed album of the year -- and we're only 12 days in, mind you -- and a piece to kick off the year that really pulls us into a dreamy, soothing soundscape.

As many reviewers and critics have already mentioned, the entire album is reminiscent of (and thus seems to draw influence from) the works of James Blake and Bon Iver. (People also say Jeff Buckley, Sigur Ros, et al.) This is instantly obvious on this first track, with the Vernon-esque harmonic overlapping of vocals; the minimalistic approach to the beats, electronic figures, and melody lines; the pacifying vocals. The attractive production value. The meticulous give-and-take between sound and carefully-posed silences to produce some brilliant suspense and expectancy, eventually making way to a deepening in textures (like, for instance, in "The Wilhelm Scream"), which occurs at 2:28 --- quite a climax of beautiful interplay between electronic, percussive, and other timbres.

But the unique thing that stands out here is the very lucid imagery and diction, and how eloquently McMorrow pours his soul into the lyrics and melodies with his chilled voice and effective falsetto. This gives the track the charm of purity and believability. Paired with heartwrenching lyrics, this music soulfully expounds on the potential of the Indie Folk music artform. If nothing else, it is at the least a calming track when in want of some alleviation from the stresses of everyday life.