Sleepwalking Ballads (Folkloric Feel - Apostle Of Hustle)

Member Name: Frankingsteins

Product:	Folkloric Feel - Apostle Of Hustle
Date:	25/01/08 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Atmospheric and varied.

Disadvantages: Obvious singles are less impressive.

'Folkloric Feel' is the first album from Canada's Apostle of Hustle, under the direction of Andrew Whiteman with Julian Brown and Daniel Stone. Not too easy to pigeonhole into one genre, it's generally atmospheric and melancholic acoustic indie rock with a distinct Latin vibe, occasionally veering into more straightforward indie rock styles but mostly content to explore a dreamy soundscape with minimal vocals and soft percussion.

The lullaby-type songs 'Sleepwalking Ballad' and 'Animal Fat' are complimented excellently by the use of backing, angelic female vocals to supplement Whiteman's main performance, and they're atmospheric and moving in the style of the Cure around 'Disintegration,' but a little dull all the same. The most successful songs are the more raw and loosely structured acoustic jams of sorts, best represented in the opening title song which uses every minute of its extended playing time to experiment with new directions and introduce the other instruments and classical elements gradually over its course, only morphing into a more typical indie song right at the very end. 'Kings & Queens' is another highlight in a similar style only a little more refined, while the final couple of tracks rely more on ambience and mood than anything particularly engaging in its own right; perhaps Whiteman composed this as night time music, with the intention that these songs can send the listener into a comfortable sleep. It's a nice thought, but slightly spoiled by the seventies rock of 'Dark is What I Want' that's louder and more electric than anything else on the album and stands out significantly as a result, but at least affords time for a nice jangly guitar solo.

Although it's distinctly arty, it's also clear that this album was consciously targeted at a wider audience within the alternative scene by the presence of songs that smell a lot like potential singles, for being shorter and simpler, and focusing on more down-to-earth matters. 'Baby, You're in Luck' is my least favourite song here for its rather dull relationship angst, but 'Energy of Death' is effective in lightening the mood with its upbeat jangle. There's an odd mix here of controlled cinematic minimalism and unapologetic straightforward indie rock, but it's all handled very well and remains surprisingly consistent despite a couple of missteps.

1. Folkloric Feel
2. Sleepwalking Ballad
3. Baby, You're in Luck
4. Energy of Death
5. Kings & Queens
6. Song for Lorca
7. Animal Fat
8. Dark is What I Want / Strutters Ball
9. Gleaning
10. They Shoot Horses, Don't They

Summary: Apostle of Hustle's first album (2004).