Various Artists
Seen Unseen (A Benefit For The Evergreen Center For Street Youth)
(2001)
Reviewed by Josh Spencer
It usually doesn't even matter to me what the music sounds like when compilations totally for charity come out like this. It's an opportunity to give to those in need (which I'd much rather do than give to the fattened cow of a church, any day). For the street kids of Vancouver, Absalom Recordings has done something remarkable and unique: they've gathered Christian and non-Christian musicians together on one CD. And not just no-name indie musicians, but some serious talents with fans to spare.
I mean...Frank Black (aka Black Francis, The Pixies' frontman), Sixteen Horsepower, Over the Rhine, Denison Witmer, Giant Sand, and many more. Wow. And almost every song an original in some way, even if it's just live or a remix? Geez. Todd Brown, the man behind Absalom Recordings, definitely has a gift for gathering good musicians.
And the lesser known artists are as good as the established ones. Whether it's the Tom Waits-meets-Beck folk-rock-hop of Dan Donovan, the Doors-as-lounge-band sound of The Czars, the desert nomad Jewish-American Indian worship jam potpourri of Psalters, or the cheery indie-pop of The Roman Candles (which makes me think of Damien Jurado if he were happy and decided to rock), there's a gem on this compilation waiting for your discovery. Probably a handful of them. Most of the bands are describable only with lots of dashes -- hybrids of folk, ethnic, and alternative musics. The only let-down for me was the remixes, since I'm no fan of the practice. In particular, Sixteen Horsepower's "Clogger" gets some stiff percussion and vocal distortion added, which is strange but not in a fitting way.
Do both yourself and some homeless kids a favor, and head over to http://www.absalomrecordings.com and pick up a copy or two.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Ken MuellerIn a music industry overflowing in mediocrity, Todd Brown's Absalom Recordings is a little slice of heaven. Based out of Toronto, Absalom exists to give true artists a chance to breathe and get their music in the hands of an appreciative public. The Seen/Unseen compilation disc consists of fifteen cuts from a wide variety of indie artists, and is a benefit album for The Evergreen Center for…
