Chris Bartels - Myths and Mold (2017)

Myths and Mold / Album Video Teaser #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8y-LCoVbAE

Written by William Elgin, posted by blog admin

Some of the greatest musical artists working today are among the hardest to classify. It isn’t possible to pigeonhole their musical inclinations in one narrow lane of traffic – instead, they are far-reaching, expansive creative forces who operate under their own rules and express themselves in idiosyncratic ways quite unlike any the rank and file musicians flogging their wares in the marketplace. Chris Bartels, a Minneapolis native, is certainly a known commodity on the scene. His work with a variety of outfits has garnered him a reputation as one of the foremost songwriters and sound wizards working on the scene today. His second release under his own name, Myths and Mold, is a five song EP release full of color and unexpected turns sporting some obvious influences, but influences so completely incorporated into Bartels’ vision that any similarities are all but indistinguishable.

The signature touch is evident from the start. “Blind” doesn’t so much as begin as it does coalesce into being. The ambient themed introduction transforms into a uptempo arrangement that has urgency, but never gets too carried away with itself. The assortment of instruments used on this song are well balanced against each other and, despite the pace, there’s obvious patience taken with this performance that makes it all the more memorable. “Missoula” has a more natural sound, less constructed, and the guitar figure driving its central melodic idea gives the track a discernible hook drawing listeners in from the first. The ambient sound effects are never pushed too hard and, thus, prove to be an effective addition to the song and it ranks as, arguably, the EP’s finest vocal arrangement. “Stay” is a much more elegiac track, replete with piano, but Bartels adopts the same uncluttered approach for this song characterizing the earlier tracks. Guitar doesn’t play as much of a key role here, making way for the piano work and the distinctly different character this change in instrumental focus brings to the track helps it stand out.

The title song is, perhaps, the most artful track on the release. Bartels takes less time with this song, surprisingly, than other efforts on the release, but it has a tremendous impact despite its brevity. The ambient textures are paramount here; the vocals seem, somewhat, like an afterthought and lack the same clarity and focus heard on the earlier songs. Bartels concludes the release with the song “Counting Hands”. This is much more in keeping with the first two songs on the EP and, far and away, the most buoyant track on Myths and Mold. The percussion and guitar work alike are the key to the song’s success and exhibit the same even-handed approach that helped make the first song so memorable. Chris Bartels’ second solo release under his own name allows him a wide berth to pursue ends his other projects do not encompass. It results in one of 2017’s most substantive efforts.