Levek
Look A Little Closer
Lefse Records
Frontman and songwriter David Levesque started Levek with acapella covers, giving those songs, and eventually his originals, what has been called his signature Mickey Mouse tribal sound. Before listening to Levesqueβs music I had no idea what that sound would be and after listening to this debut album I still have no idea what that sound is supposed to be. βFrench Lessonsβ and βSolemn Feeling Forever Feelingβ have Electro-synth sounds and βCanβt Buy This Loveβ uses a vocoder voice effect. A couple of songs have tribal sounding recorder or flute parts. Maybe thatβs the sound?
The opening track βBlack Mold Growβ works even though it could be three different songs, starting with a Beach Boys vibe, building to Psychedelic Disco and ending with an Ambient bubbling brook. βWith A Slow Burnβ is a beautiful Crosby, Stills and Nash influenced song with a recurring and interesting sloshy, galloping beat. Several other tracks, including βCanterbury Bell,β remind of early Simon and Garfunkel. The warm, fuzzy feeling is lost in the mishmash of instruments and styles when Levek incorporates Lounge, Jazz, Funk and β60s and β70s Pop in addition to other aforementioned sounds.
Look A Little Closer is supposed to tell a βtale of a young girlβs struggle with mental illness,β but the album sounds more like a collection of songs from several different movie soundtracks. Overall the record lacks cohesion and ends up being odd, Psychedelic, Easy Listening background music.
Jen VaseyΒ (Twitter @jenvasey)
Album Review: Levek – Look A Little Closer
Jen Vasey