Are They Wizards?

Listening to: Akron/Family - Love is Simple

If love is so simple, why is this album so hard? There is so much going on in this album, it's impossible to even ingest it all in one sitting. I've listened to this album now 4 or 5 times, and I'll admit, it has been growing on me. But these guys are outrageous. I suppose they'd best be lumped in with the very vague musical category of New Weird America, but there is just too much here to nail them down to one specific sound or intent. With all the tribal drums, chants, acoustic guitar interludes, banjo strumming, a capella vocal parts, and general nonsense occurring, you'd think that this album would be irritating, and you'd be partly right. The problem is that while it can be grating, there's something supremely satisfying about this music. In that sense, the title works, as they're trying to send a message of love and natural beauty, which you really have to tap into in order to really love this CD. I don't know if I ever saw myself listening casually to guys like these, but, like I said, the repeated listenings have afforded me a greater appreciation for the good parts of this album while lessening my distaste for the not-so-great parts. I can't say I recommend this album wholeheartedly, because I'm sure many people would find it totally inaccessible (not to say I'm one of the open-minded who can access it) and I don't want to be that guy who goes around giving recommendations to totally inane, relatively obscure music just to sound cool. 'Cause I'm not.

Congratulations, Akron/Family, you've confounded me.



Akron/Family - Love is Simple ★★★★★★✩✩✩✩

Favorite Tracks: Love, Love, Love (Everyone), Ed is a Portal, There's So Many Colors
Least Favorite Tracks: Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music for Moms

1. Love, Love, Love (Everyone)
2. Ed is a Portal
3. Don't Be Afraid, You're Already Dead
4. I've Got Some Friends
5. Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music for Moms
6. There's So Many Colors
7. Crickets
8. Phenomena
9. Pony's OG
10. Of All the Things
11. Love, Love, Love (Reprise)