Deastro - Keepers
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Artist:
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Album:Keepers
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Track:The Shaded Forest
My country was once home to three million God Fearing Christians. Today that number has dwindled to approximately sixteen. The reason for this sharp decline is up for debate. The Catholic Church points to rising consumerism. Everyone else blames the child molesting. No matter. The upshot is, Irish people now sleep off their Sunday morning hangovers in bed, rather than a pew.
I for one am gratified by this turn of events. I try my best to live creatively, but I've never found religion particularly inspiring. Not once did a trip to church make me want to pick up a musical instrument. A shotgun, perhaps, but never a musical instrument.
Contrast this with Randolph "Deastro" Chabot. The 22 year-old Michigan native has helmed the finest electronic album out of America in 2008. But what was Chabot's first major influence? Why, his parent's "weird Christian music".
I forgive him. It's the Christian thing to do. Especially since Chabot has infused his debut LP "Keepers" with a much broader range of inspirations. They include New Wave synthpop, cosmology, Brian Wilson, comic books, '90s shoegaze, and feminist literature. That's right. Chabot is an oddball. Just like you.
A trace of the sacred remains, however. How could it not? Chabot is a former choirboy and there is something angelic in the way he voices his softest song, starry lullaby "The Floating Cradle". Likewise with the Christmas ballad "Child of Man, Son of God", which invokes not only the little baby Jesus, but also his successor, the celestial Sufjan Stevens.
Believe is at the heart of "Keepers". Although Chabot's brand is a shade more secular than his mom and pop's. Optimism shines through on indie anthem-in-waiting "The Shaded Forests". It begins with one of those cool rock stutters, "I t-t-t-t-told you we're gonna be fine" and ends with Chabot crying "We're gonna make it home!" over an industrial strength guitar riff. A more perfect soundtrack to the end of the Bush era I haven't yet heard.
"The Goodman of House" continues the "yes we can" vibes. Chabot begs forgiveness for past "enchantments", before building the tension with a military style drum beat. The bleeps of a Mothership arrive out of nowhere to release the pressure, and then Chabot guilelessly admits "I want be a good man/I want to be a fortress…I want to save the forest." Don't we all, mate. Don't we all.
Melody runs positivity a close second in Chabot's song book. Whichever genre he slips into the result is eminently tuneful. You can hum along to his 80s pop stylings ("Michael, The Lone Archer of the North Shore) and to his M83 channelling ("Open Up Ye Dark Gates!"). The astonishingly self assured "Wind Powered" has a twisting, turning, utterly relentless acid line, punctuated by a dirty great monster howl. Yet it's catchier than any of the dross that typically clogs up the singles charts.
Not that Keepers is entirely dross free itself. I didn't think it possible for music to sound futuristic and twee at the same time, but Chabot has managed it with "Light Powered". Suffice to say, this updated slice of an olde Englande folk song is the perfect soundtrack to sod all and nothing, except perhaps "Brave Sir Robin Ran Away".
However I thank God (yes, for the purpose of this review He exists) that Chabot has sublimated his cheesier urges for the greater good. That is, to entertain oddballs like us. In fact, if it means he'll never stray from his one true path, I'll supply all the cheese Deastro will ever need. How? By signing off in true music reviewer style, with a horrendously crappy pun:
"Keepers" is electronic music that stays with you.
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Keepers is out now on cult US electronic label Ghostly International
http://ghostly.com/releases/keepers (stream and download two songs)
http://www.myspace.com/deastro
Comments (16)
Whoa..I think I've seen the light. Michigan? Who knew. He crams an awful lot into the dot..dug that.
Glad to hear it, Cody! "Crams an awful lot into the dot"- Heh, well put. Indeed. Shades of the Forest, as we say in these necks of the woods, is animal.
I hit up those dl's,thanks..it'll be fun to have 'em pop up on me unexpected.
Definitely a Keeper of an album, this.
Yes indeed! I really feel that if this guy was born English he'd be all over the music press right now.
Here's another one:
(Thanks Cody!)
It worked..remnants of oldMOG. I like. We used to distribute this cat called BC Camplight. This guys a little more electronic, but the calliope pop reminded me of him..
another wicked opening from the unholy Irishman, i see. (; inversely, the number of synth pop albums was sixteen last year and three million this year. (and i am a happy camper.)
attributions to "Christian" and "parents" ... this guy is good. a great review, Colin.
This electronic/indie fusion (would that be a fair description?) seems to be building momentum lately. Whatever his inspirations, it seems to be working for him.
Thanks for posting Flux, you are a true wordsmith. As usual I take just as much enjoyment from reading your descriptions of the music as listening to the actual songs.
I usually know withing 5 seconds if I'm going to like a song, and this one took like 1 second! Cheers! Earbuds recommended for this one.. I am a sinner!!!! hahahahhaha
@ Cody - I must check out this BC Camplight you speak of. If he sounds anything like Deastro, I'll most probably like him. Thanks again for the player code. ;)
@ Ilay - Wicked, perhaps, but the CC can take it, its big and ugly enough. (Well, defo ugly.) And yep, there is more synthpop around this year. I like it, too, makes me feel like I'm living in The Future (or the 80s.) Although every now and then I binge out on Elliott Smith or something when I've overloaded on bleeps & bloops.
@ DC - Absolutely agree on the influences. As Bigger Than Jesus once said, "Whatever gets you through the night, it's all right." And sincere thanks for the encouragement!
@ Indy - You sound like Missus Capacitor. She knows after 3 seconds! Glad you enjoyed it!
Cool yule grooves. I'd love to know what 'weird Christian music' he grew up with. My dad was a minister and we had musicals mixed with classical and choir music. Plus the Harry Belafonte Christmas album. It didn't affect me none.
Jonh, you sure no effect? you are trapsing around in those 20C retro's .. Hello??? LOL
Fluxy, great minds think alike!
BTW, thanks for the attempt the Chrissie music.. I know that Santa was watchin you mate!
Cheers,
INdy x
Colour me enlightened, monsieur Fluxy. His halo shall be a neon one, and his music shall be mine.
Where can I find this one Fluxy? You are EMCD'ing me so bad and I am not able to recover .. its like the Glasvegas one Anna posted the other day.. I want it but don't want to whole bloody Double CD !! Ugh!!! Ba Humbugger!
Uh-oh! OMD flashback! Quite a find, Flux. I believe! (In Deastro, that is.)
Jonh - Mike Marigold was once a connoisseur of Christian music. If he drops by he might be able to help.
Indy - You're welcome, sorry it didn't work out. You'll find it at Ghostly or emusic (where I discovered it.)
Mike - Yeah, there is a kind of OMD thing going on there, all right. BPMs are a little higher, of course.
Anna - A neon halo. Cool.