That
One Eyed Kid - Crash and Burn
The
East Coast seems to produce a lot of acts like That One Eyed Kid. Living in the
nation’s major metropolitian centers seems to embolden some with blindness
towards the way things are usually done and spurs them to think outside the box
in big and small ways. Josh Friedman’s band project That One Eyed Kid deserves
the aforementioned description. The ambitions of the music on Crash and Burn,
That One Eyed Kid’s third EP, don’t announce themselves with trumpets and
clarion calls heard across the world. Friedman, instead, makes the improbable
reality by bringing some seemingly foreign musical styles together in a highly
individualistic mix marked by powerful melodies and lyrics seemingly torn from
his autobiography. The effect is highly entertaining and moving all at once. It
is rare, during any past golden age or today, to discover music so good that it
engages its audience on both the mental and physical level. That One Eyed Kid
does this with tremendous flair.
“Bright
Big Red” has ample style and easy going sophistication to burn. This might be
the EP’s peak for some listeners and it isn’t hard to blame them. Friedman’s
performance and recording make this comparatively simple song sound like a
perfectly proportioned style piece with not a single not or word out of place.
The quasi guitar rave ups that punctuate the verses and bridges add a bit of
spice to the mix and Friedman’s voice effortlessly shifts gears throughout.
Some of that sophistication is sacrificed on the EP’s second song “Burn Out
Right” in favor of much punchier approach, but Friedman can’t resist sprinkling
colorful fills throughout both the musical arrangement and his vocal. This is a
songwriter and performer who understands how to orchestrate his material for
ideal effect and those results bear fruit on Crash and Burn time and again.
He
turns a little with the song “Native Advertising” and dispenses with the more
minimalist approach displayed during the first two tracks in favor of a more
forceful, even aggressive, musical attack. It is never abrasive however and
retains the same aforementioned welcoming qualities. It’s interesting to note
with this song how artfully Friedman makes his influences felt in the music,
yet their discernible behind all the modern window dressing. “No Touching”,
however, is pure unvarnished soul and funk in a largely electronic setting.
Friedman proves he’s up to the emotive challenge and also shows a vocal range
that the previous songs only discreetly hint at. The EP’s final cut “Rewind”
has the unique distinction of bringing together all of Crash and Burn’s
strengths in one track. It may not stick with listeners as readily as the
opener, for instance, but it’s a track that demands repeated listening. This
five song collection makes an impressively hefty artistic statement without
ever beating its own chest about it and this quality, if nothing else, makes
That One Eyed Kid’s Crash and Burn essential listening for 2017.
Charles
Hatton
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