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Matthew Dear - Asa Breed
- Matthew Dear’s latest album, Asa Breed, follows the path of his previous releases, 2003’s Leave Luck to Heaven, and 2004’s Backstroke, all of which are plump with indigenous electronic sounds that listeners are sure to hear as they enter their local electronica nightclub in search of an infectious beat to which they can dance. The distortion in Dear’s vocals could creep some listeners out, but it adds to his lyrics in an unusual yet poignant way.
“Fleece on Brain” has a discoesque beat to it, complete with drums, percussion and what sounds like a synthesizer. Dear’s voice then penetrates the mix with its spine-chilling vibe, as he emotes about something or someone who is threatening to choke the life out of him, with disturbing lyrics like, “No friend of mine no friend of mine is asking for forgotten time…It’s wrapped itself around my neck, it's growing fine.”
On “Neighborhoods,” the rhythm has a funkier bend to it and this time keyboard work enters the melody, which makes the beat even more danceable. What sounds like a synthesizer is replayed on this track again as Dear’s bleary voice goes on about an endless exploration, even when what he seeks is right in front of him, with lyrics like, “We run around in circles. When circles come in larger squares. searching for your love’s equations. Even though she has always been there. I got to be the one. The one to be with you. I can open doors. I will never lose.” Dear’s timbre here has an automation feel and the lyrics might say to listeners that he is on a power trip and cannot be satisfied, even when he has that for which he has been longing.
On “Deserter,” the tone gets even more alarming, especially in the intro.
Then, the percussion and synthesizer work pick up slightly and interblend. The beat is very solemn, which fits well with the song’s title. This track could be found on the soundtrack to a motion picture where a loner or runaway is wandering along a vacant area and his or her intentions are unclear to the audience. Dear lays out a very distinct vision, with lyrics like, “You sound deserted. Lost and alone…Don’t be afraid, this is what you’ve been saving for. Everything that you’ve done...It really doesn’t matter.” It seems this track could also be one listeners can blast in their car if they have fled an unpleasant situation at last and they are now looking to begin life on their own terms.
Matthew Dear’s Asa Breed, is an electronica music fan's fantasy. Its lyrics are somewhat lugubrious, but the pace will make listeners forget that, and just concentrate on swaying to the catchy measures that Dear lays down.
Reviewer: Sari N. Kent
new
Reviewer's Rating: 8.5
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0
Added: 8-Jun-2007
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