SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CITY AND COLOUR – SOMETIMES LULLABY

CITY AND COLOUR
SOMETIMES LULLABY
DINE ALONE RECORDS

It may be hard for some to accept, but the truth is, Dallas Green, professionally known as City and Colour, released his debut album, Sometimes, 20 years ago. Indeed, it has been two decades since that album was released and pretty much made the musical project a household name overnight. That famous tattoo on the front cover is especially iconic. Of course, many of the songs had debuted on the internet before the album came out. So, at this point, Sometimes was very much anticipated. In celebration of the anniversary of his debut, Green has re-recorded the album, with some help from his longtime friend Erik Hughes (Moneen), who arranged and recorded the album. Even though Sometimes Lullaby is a tribute and lovingly re-recorded version of Sometimes, it is a very different album.

This is not a straightforward re-recording, and anyone expecting a current, live-in-the-studio recording is in for a surprise. For this album, Sometimes Lullaby, Green has done something very original. A clue is in the title. This is a re-imagining of the album. Sometimes Lullaby is a very mellow, instrumental version of the album. The songs are slow, sparse, and very gentle. The new arrangements are based on the originals, but that is really where any similarities end. The acoustic guitar has been replaced with keyboards, and the energy of the original songs has been replaced by extreme chill.

“Save Your Scissors” is one example. Those clear acoustic guitars are replaced with a very slow, xylophone-sounding keyboard. The melody is there, but it is not instantly recognizable, and perhaps that is the intention. Often, artists reinvent a song, but in the end, it’s just an instrumental. That is not the case here. Songs like “Sam Malone,” which is very moving, cannot rely on lyrics, so the same feeling is recreated in the new version. It is a very stark and beautiful arrangement.

Sometimes Lullaby may be an album to help people unwind before a good night’s sleep. But these songs are not lullabies. They are carefully arranged instrumentals that have one toe in ambient music. The album creates a definite mood. The tattoo has been replaced by what looks like a cross stitch, which may be another clue to the intention of the album. Green is 20 years older, as is most of his audience, who have grown up with him. This album is a beautiful way to pay tribute to an album and a period of time. Sometimes Lullaby is a very creative and outstanding album.

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