here's a review i wrote for blue states' _nothing changes under the sun_, an album i'm totally crazy about....
Although Blue States' dense, organic soul could easily be mistakenly performed by a five-piece band, the average listener might be surprised to discover that it's only one man, Andy Dragazis. With his album-length debut, Nothing Changes Under the Sun, Dragazis has managed to paint lush, deeply emotional canvases of heavily textured sound with a downtempo framework and a musicality that makes it a high candidate for the First Great Album of 2001. The epic opener "Arion" combines sweeping strings, shuffling yet insistent beats and a heart-tugging spaghetti-western guitar hook, subtly segueing into the melancholy of tracks like "Diamente" and "The Trainer Shuffle", whose regretful, sepia-toned moods belie a joyful musicianship within funky Rhodes licks and intricate is-it-live drum programming. As the album winds down, tunes like "Theme From Within" and "Heroes' Elegy" cleverly weave unsuspecting chord changes and harmonies with a large nod to 60's and 70's cinematic music evoking the spirit of John Barry among others. Comparisons to Air will surely abound surrounding this record, but while Air failed by making their (once-gorgeous) music too kitschy and fashion-orientated to take it seriously, Dragazis keeps his eye squarely on the head and heart, ultimately providing the soundtrack to your life rather than background music at a bougie boutique.
mikebee
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