Saturday, March 2, 2013

Wages - Shady Chamber


“Bring me the big knife so I can cut my neck again.”

The line opens “Eternal”, the dramatic lead track on Wages’ Shady Chamber. As the chorus repeats, “The pain is eternal”, things don’t look any sunnier.

This oft-melancholic EP focuses on the enviable falsetto of Nick Campbell. Backed with lush reverb, his lyrics and arrangements make Shady Chamber a solid release from the L.A. duo. Campbell draws inspiration from Elliott Smith's “spider-web thin vocals”, thankfully without coming off as another Smith-obsessed songwriter à la Blake Sennett or Jose Gonzalez. Among the forbearers of grandiose post-rock also heard in Campbell's voice and songwriting, Jónsi Birgisson of Sigur Rós easily comes to mind.

Wages is described on their website as “music for escapists”. The other half of the duo is drummer James DeDakis, known for his work with Amy Ray, Arizona, Fan Modine, and Lovett. In Wages, DeDakis contributes keys and guitar in addition to his effective and efficient drumming.

Shady Chamber has a modern and vast quality to its production. Full of complex layers, the aforementioned reverb, and intricate guitar textures, the majority of the record was recorded at Seriously Adequate Studios, a small and trendy studio in Carrboro, NC. Alex Maiolo is the man behind the board at Seriously Adequate. In addition to Wages he’s also recorded Brian Paulson, Polvo, and The Love Language. Recently, Maiolo received praise for his work with Chapel Hill orchestral-folk darlings Lost in the Trees. Shady Chamber shares a kinship with this band’s massive and cinematic sound.

The EP was completed at Asheville's renowned Echo Mountain Studios, so its hi-fi nature should come as no surprise. One song recorded entirely at Echo Mountain is “South China Sea”, a hypnotic standout track every bit as exotic as its title suggests. Campbell is listed in the liner notes as playing the guzheng, a Chinese instrument played by plucking its twenty-plus strings and moving its multiple bridges. The instrument is featured prominently here. Campbell also uses the song as an opportunity to stray from his falsetto norm, showcasing his dynamic range and ability.

Tracks such as “Pull Through”, and the more uplifting “Unity”, bring to mind the mid-2000s release Fields from Swedish indie-folk group Junip. While Junip's epic and sweeping compositions occasionally felt forced in their attempts at Americana, Wages’ rustic undertones feel authentic. Owing to geography or not, Shady Chamber showcases Wages ability to beautifully construct songs and performances in a genuine and truly American fashion.

-Eric White

Wages
Shady Chamber
(self-released)


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