Domino, January 12 2010
After years of operating under the moniker Final Fantasy, Canadian jack-of-all-trades Owen Pallett has bowed to the possibility of trademark infringement and begun to use his own name as a recording artist. Perhaps this change is one of the elements that makes Heartland such a refreshing and welcome change – compared to his Final Fantasy albums, this feels so much more organic and brave.
Pallett has released a slew of EPs in recent years but his last full length as Final Fantasy, He Poos Clouds, was released in 2006. Heartland has been a pretty constant work in progress since then so, four years in the making, what results is nothing short of spectacular. Pallett’s voice seems to have developed a softer edge and the music now fits comfortably into the ‘baroque’ genre, thanks to the involvement of the Czech National Orchestra, who provide backing on a number of songs. Take ‘Lewis Takes Action’, for example – over Pallett’s smooth voice, the orchestra layers strings, clarinets, bassoons; and on ‘Red Sun No. 5′ a brass chorus blares defiantly through the speakers. Never before has Pallett achieved such tremendous depth of sound; the use of instruments other than his usual violin and keyboard is a very welcome new addition.
That’s not to say that there’s no trace of Final Fantasy on this album, though. Pallett’s typical sarcastic sense of humour is still there, as evidenced in the lyrics of ‘Oh Heartland, Up Yours!’, and he’s still an ambitious storyteller – the album tells the story of a farmer named Lewis who lives in a world called Spectrum, where Pallett is God. But, also in typical Owen Pallett style, the lyrics are so vague that if you hadn’t been told about the storyline, or if you hadn’t sat down and analysed the lyrics as a whole for a lengthy period of time, it might escape your mind altogether. Listening to the music itself is enough of a treat though – Pallett has said that Heartland is an orchestral work first and foremost, and that should be enough of a drawcard for curious fans.
But it’s ‘The Great Elsewhere’ that really confirms Heartland as Pallett’s tour de force – starting with a forceful string dual punch, it slides into an electronic ostinato as Pallett’s voice soars over it. He’s one of those artists who manages to successfully marry his live and recorded work – his performances consist of him, a violin, a synthesiser and a loop pedal – and this song is one that can be replicated almost exactly live. Before Heartland, Pallett had not ventured much into electronic territory, but we can only hope that it will become a regular feature in his music especially when odd coupled with orchestral arrangements to create a perfect mix of baroque and modern elements.
For Final Fantasy fans, the name change won’t be a deterrent – all it means is that Pallett is coming completely into his own without anything to hide behind. And for those new to the game, Heartland is a fitting introduction to one of modern music’s most virtuosic characters.
TRACK LISTING:
01. Midnight Directives
02. Keep The Dog Quiet
03. Mount Alpentine
04. Red Sun No. 5
05. Lewis Takes Action
06. The Great Elsewhere
07. Oh Heartland, Up Yours!
08. Lewis Takes Off His Shirt
09. Flare Gun
10. E is for Estranged
11. Tryst with Mephistophele
12. What Do You Think Will Happen Now?
DOWNLOAD: The Great Elsewhere (m4a)
