Digging through my Myspace Friends’ Friends I found this recording/video artist named Parick Doval and instantly fell in love with his sound. So much so that I went right to itunes and purchased his two collections: Deliverance and Fractured. Very retro-eighties proto/pre/post - or whatever - goth, psychedelia ala early New Order, Cure, Siouxsie, etc. His videos likewise possess that same naive early MTV quality - they dare to be artsy as opposed to the banal, unabashed lifestyle porn that most video ‘artists’ currently strive to embody.
I especially appreciate his use of the bass as a musical instrument (rather than as a tool for irritating one’s neighbors at 3am - Uh oh, am I showing my age here?).
He’s unsigned, and his recordings are, as with most unsigned artists and their very limited budgets, a bit raw. But I think that actually works in his favor, lending his music that uncluttered, underproduced sound that made bands such as Bauhaus and Joy Division so distinctive.
Standout songs:
Ashes of Life: Reminds me a lot of post-Joy Division-New Order (when they were still fresh and original). Although Patrick’s vocals foil the comparison, being more dramatic and vibrant than Bernard Sumner’s deadpan monotone. The video is also a lot of fun. Can’t get the freakin’ song out of my head.
Don’t let me go: Sounds like it could be a lost track from some early Cure album, say Seventeen Seconds or Pornography. Extremely haunting and moodily melodic. Another one I can’t stop thinking about.
Many Faces: More aggressive and Industrial than the others. Reminds me a bit of Gary Numan’s more recent work.
Also:
Empty Road
Turbulence
Caged
OK, no matter how much I write here, it won’t do justice to Doval’s music. I urge you to check him out. Really great, compelling material.
For more info on Patrick you can visit these sites:
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I love that you've started this blog. At last, a reviewer I can trust, who's taste isn't all in his mouth. I'm groovin' on Patrick Doval's YouTube music. Thanks for sharing.
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