Accordion Solo!

Accordion Solo! by Ten in the Swear Jar is what I would call musical feelings oppose to a musical composition. There are a couple tracks on the album that I would avoid due to the fact that they are just some person talking in a room that echoes and there are several expletives. The tracks to avoid are "Malafuquana Espana," "For Awesome Drunk Tank," "Melon," and "Accordion Solo."

The first musical track is called "Hot Karl," it is an amazing prelude to the album because it sets the tone with its unstructured abstract nature. The song is a great use of dynamics*, there is a slow guitar intro that is spastically non-rhythmic. As the song ventures on it rolls in to words that are gargled to the point of incoherence, then the singer sorts out the last couple words of the verse and brings it in with the guitar pieces that eventually picks up a rhythm. This a beautiful tone setting because most of the album has the overall dynamics of this single song. The next song is a great pick up from "Hot Karl," and the song title is "San Jose Fight Song." Never before have listened to a song with an accordion and gotten into the rhythm and put the song on repeat. The transfer between "Hot Karl" and "San Jose Fight Song" is not a smooth transition but it is an abstract and appropriate one. The song leaves you humming an according rhythm, how often does that happen?
    The rest of the songs follow a very similar pattern, Incoherent mumbling, miscellaneous rhythms, and bizarre background noises. I would say the song that should headline this album is "I Love the Valley," the lyrics are a mystery and the rhythm is impossible to purge from your brain. The lyrics are not as much words as they are melodic mumbling, so much so that you can pick up on it and mumble along without having to have any singing ability what so ever. The best part about this song is the synthesizer dynamic at about 1:30. The song slowly fades out and then a synth and accordion come in with a powerful chromatic descent.

This album leaves me wanting more but then all I have to do is put it on repeat.

The instrument diversity and catchiness of the songs makes me think this album is a solid 4 stars.




*Dynamics- It can be defined as the musicians used of aggressiveness. When a song starts out softly and gets really loud that is what could be defined as a good use of dynamics. Increase of volume is another synonym for dynamics.