Record Review // Kye Alfred Hillig "The All-Night Costume Company"
The more I listen to this album by Kye Alfred Hillig, the more these songs become a part of me. I don't really think it's fair to call this pop, so I'm hesitant to say that this is catchy, but after a few listens, you'll definitely start singing along and recognizing not only the lyrics but the music as well. If you're of a certain age this sound is going to remind you of something that felt more prominent in the late 1990's but seems like we hear less and less of now. If you're too young to remember all that, you're in for an even bigger treat.
Starting off with the song "The Horrible Truth" the pace is set for the rest of the album. Elements of that old surf guitar rock like Buddy Holly mixed with Americana come out and you just know you're in for something special. The second song has this great set of lyrics that says: "Open up our hearts for nothing / That is what we do / Peace on Earth and all that shit / but none of it comes true" which I feel like is a mantra for modern times because it can just feel like no matter how much good you're putting in, the world is still a shitty place in a lot of ways.
Between these sounds of folk, rock and sort of country come the unique vocals which make me think of someone along the lines of Stephen Wilson Jr or, at times, even Eddie Vedder. The way in which these songs are delivered is what makes them so special. kye Alfred Hillig is the type of musician who could just absolutely crush a rendition of the song "Hallelujah" and I say that as someone who loves Jeff Buckley more than most people know.
The songs can be sing along, but in that church way. There is soul but it's like a gospel / Baptist type of spirituality where this might awaken something within you. "Don't Cancel The Fair" hits a bit close to home for me, as I grew up in that town that had the local fair and thought it was so special until I was old enough to realize every town here has a fair. Artists from the 1990's that I hear and am reminded of now include both The Wallflowers and Shawn Mullins.
"How Desperate We Are" is quite a fun slower ballad type with those winding guitars which can remind me of Duncan Sheik. I particularly enjoy the lyrics within this song which say: "If you want to know how close to the bottom just count the churches, jails and bars" and that describes Texas in a lot of ways. "Something is Different" brings out vibes of Bruce Springsteen while "Our Remaining Pig" has more of the Streets of Philadelphia vibes of The Boss. "Pain" is a rocking song which can really feel like alt-rock and show the range of this album.
We go from a slower ballad to a big rocking end and Kye Alfred Hillig showcases that an album should tell a story and have the high and low points to it, those ups and downs in sound, to where it can feel like more than just a collection of songs. While I fully believe that everyone has their own voice and should pick up a guitar to tell their stories, it isn't but maybe once in a lifetime a song writer and storyteller such as Kye Alfred Hillig comes along with a tale such as these to tell.
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