1. Waging a War (Acoustic Version) 2. Tower Above the Sun (Acoustic Version) 3. White Bird (Acoustic Version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQDaDcnKKtM
[NOTE: I couldn't find the Unplugged version of Morning Dancer on RYM, so "Indie Folk" applies to the normal (Plugged?) version; any additional genres are left to the imagination.]
This falls firmly into singer-songwriter territory. I can often take or leave this sort of music. Ive never been a fan of Bob Dylan but I do like Joni Mitchell. Matthew and the Atlas is billed as the project of Matt Hegarty, and he falls into the Dylan camp because I dont enjoy his voice very much. Its not objectionable (like Dylans) but in the first song, Pyres, I struggle with understanding what hes singing. I even made a conscious effort to pay attention to the lyrics, but I still had trouble parsing what he was saying.
The second song, Waging a War, is much better in that department. I like it considerably more. I love the story it paints of someone rebellious who gets into all sorts of trouble, dancing on your own are they a lost soul, are they acting deliberately, or both? Profoundly sad, unclear, and nostalgic. I dig the minimalist backing. Heavy on acoustic guitar, with some light strings. I guess it makes sense given the album is labeled Unplugged.
A lot of this album Im ambivalent on. Sometimes the arrangements feel too simple, like Low; sometimes Hegartys voice bothers me, like on Plaything. Other times I dont have those complaints; sometimes Im utterly charmed, like in Tower Above the Sun. Sometimes I think my favorite parts are the parts without any singing. There were multiple times more than three where a song started without me realizing, and I had to replay it from the beginning. Sometimes theres a female singer out of nowhere and the effect is fairly neutral.
Overall, an album I have no strong feelings on, unless you count shrug as a strong feeling. I found nothing objectionable but I wouldnt go out of my way to listen to any of it again. Waging a War is pretty terrific though! I listened to the full (non-acoustic) version and I definitely prefer acoustic.
I was out of town for a few days but love your thoughts on the album. A lot of my taste in music is shrug stuff that evokes a strong emotional reaction in me where it doesnt for others so I dont fully disagree with the assessment haha. Beyond stoked you loved Waging a War though!
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we're all buds~jc~ <DeathChicken> you are my hero for being the first person to cite National Geographic in Mercs