Memphis - A Place In The Wilderness (2006)

Memphis is the project of two lifelong friends, Torquil Campbell (of the Canadian group, Stars) and Chris Dumont. Many of their friends played as studio musicians on the album but all songwriting credit belongs to Torq and Chris.

Artwork: The cover looks as dreamy as the whole album sounds, looking down at a big city with your eye on a carousel. The whole album could be summed up in the cover design - it's simple, but it works.

Structure: Each track stands on its own as a whole song, and the album is simply ten songs that the two friend wrote together. There doesn't seem to be an overarching concept lyrically or musically, other than the light atmosphere throughout, but the tracks do flow from one to the next very well. This is an album you can put on, let play from beginning to end, and enjoy the whole thing.

Sound: This album was recorded in Montreal in the dead of winter, and each track gives a distinctly dreamy and nostalgically cozy feeling to the listener. The style is consistently minimalist, delivering only the most necessary sounds and exercising both members' maturity in being reserved and not heavy-handed for the sake of the experience of the album. There are no jarring notes, no out-of-place guitars, no heavy drumming. The album begins as a warm trickle, flows strong but under control, and ends softly, getting its point across without ever raising its voice. Also, listen to three or four songs and you will hear the words "dream" or "dreaming" more times than you would on an entire Between The Buried And Me album. The repeated use of dense imagery works to the album's advantage, partly through word choice and partly through delivery. Both the music played and the words sung feel like a cozy blanket on a cold day.

Significant Facts: Chris Dumont worked on the carousel in Central Park in New York, and there is a clearly emphasized carousel on the album cover.

For Fans Of: Widowspeak, Tram, The National, Pity Sex

Favorite Lyrics: Sweep the floor now and take down the curtains
Let the light flood into the house
Open the door, let the wind blow
Let all those dead hours stumble out
Watch as the run towards the sea
Until they diminish to nothing

Favorite Track: Time Away

1. I Dreamed We Fell Apart
2. In The Cinema Alone
3. Incredibly Drunk on Whiskey
4. Time Away
5. A Ghost Story
6. A Little Place in the Wilderness
7. I'll Do Whatever You Want
8. Swallows and Amazons
9. In The Highest Room
10. The Night Watchman

Rating: 4 / 5 

Buy: CD /// iTunes
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-Brian