Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Despite having an oversized live band featuring accordions, glockenspiels and whatnot, Cohen Hartman shows admirable restraint on his album, Paper Moon, dotting his songs with slight percussion (“Ghost” utilizes a rattled chain), swooning backup vocals and homey banjos. He fills the empty spaces with his careful lyrics sung with the perfect inkling of drama. “Just a Jack” features a guitar as delicate as dew, and lyrical wisteria like “silkworms spill out through the floor to spin the dress your mother wore.” Cohen belongs to a new breed of songwriters like Andrew Bird and M. Ward, where the sparse sonics are as important as the expressive vocals. It’s hard to believe a record this good is by a hometown kid this young. myspace.com/cohenbr
Recommended if you like: Will Oldham, Bright Eyes, Jens Lekman
Essential tracks: “Paper Moon,” “Ghost,” “Just a Jack,” “The Room” and “The Box”
Comments
Posted by IndieSusan on May 28, 2008 at 4:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Isn't the album called "Paper Moon?" and not Paper Moons?"
Posted by StephanieLyn on May 28, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I must say, I LOVE this group! I got this album thinking, "Huh. Local band, self-produced... Probably won't be that amazing." But, dang, was I surprised! They sounded so professional! And the way that the lyrics flowed and the music seemed so intricate, yet fit so prettily with everything else... Wow. It was AMAZING. Paper Moon is one of my favorite albums EVER, and Cohen and the Ghost has DEFINITELY made it on my favorite bands list.
Posted by gmiller on May 29, 2008 at 1:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is great to see Cohen & the Ghost get some of the recognition they so rightfully deserve. They, along with a handful of bands, are helping to revive a once struggling Baton Rouge music scene. Any fan of indie music (with a nice splash of folkiness) will find Paper Moon a strong addition to the library.
Posted by Nameless on June 2, 2008 at 12:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I heard it's about his dad's butt. Can anyone confirm this for me? If this is true, it's pretty WEIRD, if you ask me. When I got the album, I thought, "Huh? Local band, self-produced - it probably won't be that amazing. Also: heard it's about his dad's butt" so I quickly threw it out my car window. But dang, I backed up and retrieved it 'cause those first few notes were incredibly amazing.
I put it back in the 8-track deck and leaned back in my driver's seat. I heard the deep, sultry voice of a ripe eighteen-year-old vocalizing (broodingly, of course) about Star Wars video games. I nearly shat myself, y'all. It's a great record. Must buy. Never before have I heard someone take something so generic and make it so beautiful. Surely the best album of the year... anywhere! Purchase "Paper Moon" today!
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