“I’ll keep on playing music for as long as I can sing, ‘cause when I’m old and wrong no one will remember me.” These words from the song Bones Are My Home reveal the endearingly honest motive behind a haunting collection of songs. But hopefully the prediction doesn’t come true. Singer and guitarist Kirk Ramsay’s falsely frail and wavering voice lends an air of anxiety to lyrics that seem stuck in a repeating examination of death and the purpose of life. The effect is similar to a selection of slower songs from Bright Eyes, but more hesitant or thoughtful somehow – and with an equally unmistakable sound. The acoustic feel suits the material and the subtle synth and drums are careful to allow delicate melodies to shine through. The fourth track, Books, is a perfect example, featuring a floating synth and guitar line that fades to ominously bare harmonies. Check it out.

Published in Volume 65, Number 24 of The Uniter (March 24, 2011)