Title: On.Off.On.Off
Artist: Cargo City
Genre: Electronic / Acoustic
Release Date: 29th May 2009
Label: Rebecca & Nathan
Album Review
After his former Indie Rock band SIAMESE had disbanded, it was no question for Simon to continue making music. In 2006, he put up some acoustic songs on MySpace and received more and especially more positive feedback than expected. These songs attracted the attention of producer Ralf Hildenbeutel who ended up producing with him his first EP ‘When I Sleep…’ released in 2007. A little time has passed ever since and CARGO CITY has some more members now and a full-length album out as well. The second one is already completed and now waits for its release next Friday. It’s called ‘On.Off.On.Off.’
With ‘Hold on in the Rye, Holden’, the album opens gently with acoustic touches, organ and the soft voice of Simon. Later the piano comes in to help out a bit before the song peaks with rhythmic drum accents and ends with the stripped down arrangement with which everything began. The rhythmic stands clearly more at the front with ‘Euphoria/Nostalgia’ with sort of a faster electronic foot stomp beat ensnared by acoustic guitars sometimes giving it an uplifting and then again a melancholic touch which predominates the track for that matter. The title track opens with a running guitar section which is getting supported soon by a minimalist electronic drum beat adapting to its tempo transformed into real drumming subsequently. A song to nod along to and one with great emotional flow aiming for the listener!
‘My Blood in your Hair’ is another beautiful song especially due to Simon’s reverb-drenched vocal performance but it would have been even better if it weren’t for the massive bass drum that appears in the song. Destroys the atmosphere in my opinion! ‘Repeat This Line’ is a very relaxed little song. Only sparsely orchestrated electronics and percussions and a xylophone accompany Simon’s effected vocals here. Here’s nothing to disturb the flow. Just perfect! But to bring back some rhythm again ‘I Lost My Head’ comes around before it’s getting very slow, intimate, and brittle with ‘But Then Daryl Sings Again’. Its pervading piano chords affect the soul of everyone listening to it. It’s just a pity that it’s such a short track.
‘On.Off.On.Off.’ is a pretty unexcited album that only occasionally breaks out into really driving territory. The band’s strength lies in the ability to give every song just the amount of instruments it needs and not a single one more so you get never struck to death by oversized arrangements. But the natural emotionality both the music and the vocals emit will be what’ll intrigue listeners the most with this album.
Tracklist
01. Hold On in the Rye, Holden - 3:11
02. Euphoria/Nostalgia - 3:55
03. Flowershops in Hospitals m2 - 4:09
04. On.Off.On.Off. - 3:05
05. Lately... - 3:17
06. I Don't Speak MAS 10-2 - 2:12
07. My blood in Your Hair - 3:38
08. Repeat this Line - 2:29
09. I Lost my Head Again - 3:32
10. But then Daryl Sings Again - 2:48
11. Rearview Mirror - 3:22
12. Almost Almost - 5:18
Line-up
Simon – Guitar, Vocals
Nadine – Piano, Vocals, Xylophone, Melodica
Rafael – Guitar, Percussion, Beats, Xylophone
Jochen – Bass
Max – Drums, Cajon
Website
http://www.myspace.com/cargocity
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 7.5 / 10
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