Music Review // Wendy Eisenberg "Viewfinder" (American Dreams)

https://wendyeisenberg.bandcamp.com/album/viewfinder

 

This double record opens with a song called "Lasik".   As the horns come in with this steady percussion and ever-expanding guitar which just feels tense, the vocals come in and sing about what it must be like to have the procedure.    The guitar switches to more of a skramz feeling now and it continues to play on the words about vision.   One of the strongest lyrics in this song says: "Changing isn't healing".   The piano keys are also erratic now.  The guitar returns with those big notes and it is revealed that "I changed my eyesight and yes my eyes are blurry".   

The second song, "Two Times Water", has fragmented piano keys then brings in a dreamy guitar part.   This is all joined by percussion and then horns which give it a strong overall jazz feel.   A strong bass line comes in and then the piano takes over in place of the horns on this jazz journey.   As the song nears its end, vocals come in and the title is part of these lyrics.  There is still that urgent, driving pace to this music though.

Guitar notes which sound like they are echoing each other begin the third song.  There is an almost surf rock quality to this, as the percussion once again comes in with the horns.   The way that this guitar part drive makes me feel like we're either being told we must complete a task in a certain time and so there is that sense of being frantic or we are Pee Wee Herman riding our bike and being chased by someone.   It all reaches the end nicely and remains instrumental.

"After Image" is the first song in double digits length, as it is the same time as the first three songs combined.  A smooth bass line, that percussion and piano come in to start off the jazz.   Notes with more bass behind them come in, which remind me of a tuba, and then the next horns to follow feel like a trumpet.   This sound takes us into that place where old detectives work in smoky bars with questionable characters.   Almost halfway through, the percussion begins to come crashing down by itself, bells and all.  

The trumpet returns and is slowly blowing as cymbals crash.   We're a little bit over halfway through the song and it feels like it could be coming to an end because of how slowly it is moving.   A ringing is coming in now, behind all of this, which feels like an emergency.   The bass has taken on a solo now as well, as it feels like every instrument is going to solo and play us out.   Everything is slowly coming back now, from the horns to the cymbals of the percussion bringing back the rhythm.   Everything becomes very intense by the end as it feels like a bubble bursts.  

"Set A Course" begins with singing and only singing.   The music begins to come in as well now, percussion and horns slowly drone in.  "Find no other worlds can touch me" is a great line.  Guitar notes come through in pieces.  The bass line returns with the percussion and that jazz feel is back.  The way this one has that guitar part come through is quite special, as it makes the guitar really stand out on its own but also is complimented by the crashing of the cymbals and the loose bass line.

The trumpet returns as if in the middle of a storm.   It carries on and by the end, the trumpet is what takes the song out.   Guitar strums come out and vocals join in now on "If An Artist".   The way in which the words come out with the guitar reminds me a bit of Dave Scanlon.   We slowly edge through sonic frequencies and computer beeping which makes it feel as if we are lost out in space.  

The "Viewfinder (intro)" begins with what sounds like a flute and it just gives off strong vibes of Lord of the Rings.  Vocals come in with it now as well.   This takes us into the titular track which has singing and these funky guitars which remind me of Primus.   Those sonar lasers come through and everything about this moves at a rapid pace.   By the end the poetry flows and it can feel like something from The Beats era.

A slow solo bass line begins "In the Pines" and it carries.   The guitar comes in dreamy now and the vocals follow.  This feels like a smooth jazz song.   As the piano comes in this has that lounge singer vibe.   Horns are slowly coming in as well, as this one is just played at the pace of a crawl but it continues with all of the wonderment of a post apocalyptic super hit.