Source: Album Artwork
Garrett Klahn, of Texas Is The Reason fame, moved on to join various other projects after the band disbanded, and if we were to list all his projects we would be here all day. However, to name a few, you may also recognise him from his work with the likes of New Rising Sons and Atlantic/Pacific. The vocalist/ guitarist also debuted his solo career after signing with Rise Records back in 2014 with the track ‘I Don’t Care At All’. That is just one of the songs that features on Klahn’s self-titled album.
With all his previous projects sounding somewhat different, it wasn’t easy to decipher what exactly one can expect from this album. Opening track ‘Are We Alright?’ begins with the suggestion of something quite folky, but as the song progresses it becomes clear that for the most part the focus is on creating the correct mood to best complement his story telling.
‘Motion For Action’, which was premiered earlier in the week, though quite simple it’s a really dream-like song. Klahn eloquently builds up the sweet verse to a pumped up chorus before ending with climactic guitars. On the other hand, the following track ‘The River’ initially takes on a rather strong shoegaze ambiance, but when the strong guitar lines step in yet again it’s an entirely different mood altogether.
Judging by this pattern of build up, it came as a surprise by the time track eight ‘Ravenna’ came in as a purely melodic, harmonious song that stays true to its initial impression. The album ends with the fantastic ‘Autovia Blues’. The catchy beat caught our attention and the track just continued to build up towards the album’s high point.
Garrett Klahn seems like the kind of album that you need to listen to several times to truly appreciate. At first listen, maybe because of the slow pace and the laid back mood, it feels as if some songs just slip by you. There are definitely some stronger tracks in there that demand attention, but for some it takes a couple of listens to catch our attention and for us to realise how good the songs really are.
