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Written by Daniel Boyer, posted by
blog admin
The ten track, nearly forty minute
full length release Sharp Divide from Minneapolis’ Astronomique is as rich and
varied of a studio album as you can hope for in 2018. This isn’t slight; the
depth on display from this four piece band is completely modern while still
recalling iconic acts and halcyon eras in music history. Logan Andra Fongemie’s
vocals and synthesizer playing are keys to the success of this collection, but
her main musical partner guitarist and backing vocalist Sean Hogan contributes
much to the band’s vivid tapestry of sound. Their music has been labeled as
space-age electro psych-pop and it’s as good of a description as you’ll find
for what is, essentially, a potpourri of musical creativity. Sharp Divide gains
a lot, as well, from the contributions of bassist/backing singer Preston Saari
and drummer Mitch Billings. Their fluid, slightly funky spice added to the
band’s mix gives these songs an added idiosyncratic quality that makes them
stand out from the pack.
Much of Sharp Divide is
distinguished by the rhythm section performance without Billings and Saari
obscuring the other musical elements. Their contributions to album opener “Forefathers”
helps give this track the sort of necessary ballast that a first song deserves.
It’s impressive how artfully Fongemie and Hogan integrate vocals, synths, and
guitar over the firm rhythm section work – their touch is light, but
unmistakably stamped with energy and great timing. Sharp Divide’s third track, “We
Disappear”, is one of the best expressions of a dominant theme on the album and
has a steady mid-tempo push that rarely relents. The upper register synthesizer
contributions to the track bring a little extra flair to the performance and
the lyrical material is among the finest heard on Sharp Divide.
“Losing Our Control” is another
album highlighted by a tight, lively melody line and enormously sympathetic
performances from each of the band’s four musicians. One of the most impressive
factors making Sharp Divide such a success is the consistent unity of the band’s
performances and rarely do they sound so completely on the same page as they do
with this track. Hogan’s guitar work, in lesser hands, would serve an
ornamental purpose, but his additions to “Losing Our Control” are colorful and
nuanced, never overwrought. The title song has similar merits to recommend it. “Sharp
Divide” is the strong musical statement we’d expect from an album title track
and elicits one of Fongemie’s best vocals. The lyric, as well, expands the band’s
established range with some particularly evocative imagery that always remains accessible
to listeners.
“Smoke” is cut from a slightly
different cloth than other songs on Sharp Divide. The band clearly focuses more
on invoking a mood with this number without ever sacrificing their approach to
crafting durable, coherent songs. The same penchant for evocative imagery
explored in the title song recurs here with similarly strong results. “Bleed Me”
definitely has a dark tone, but the musical mood never bogs listeners down in
despair and, instead, tempers the mood. The melancholy atmosphere of this song
embodies the album as a whole and stands among its strongest tracks. Sharp
Divide is a work of vital musical creativity that Astronomique will work hard
to surpass.
