Another entry into the experimental folk genre, Static Films wed their simple acoustic melodies to complex arrangements and an impressively wide range of instrumentation that runs the gamut from your basic acoustic guitar through to pump organs, horns, swells of noise, keys, strings, and walkie talkie choirs. The production is suitably lo-fi with plenty of room noise and warm mic hum to cushion the often downtempo and melancholic work.
Impressive as the scope of the work is, however, there are a couple points of caution. Much as is the case with Devendra Banhart, Static Films' frontman Mark Trecka's slightly off-key, warbly vocals will be a make-or-break issue for many. For those who get it, Trecka's fractured voice will serve as a perfect counterpoint to the content of his work and similarly listing music. For others, they'll get a few lines in and turn him off.
Second, there are points where Static Films seem to be too clever for their own good, often choosing the more convoluted path simply because it's longer and more complex, instead of looking for the route that would serve their work the best. On the whole, however, a promising debut.
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