SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRANT PAVOL – REFLECTIONS

Grant Pavol
Reflections
Accidental Popstar Records

The psych-folk label these days has been stamped on almost anything that falls out of the ‘regular’ mellower or singer songwriter music as very defined genres.

Based on his three releases so far, Philadelphia’s Grant Pavol seems to create his music in those nether territories that defy true categorizations, but at the same time can easily be labeled as psych folk.

Reflections, his latest EP, seems to confirm that with seven quite exquisite tracks. Placing his music anywhere (and everywhere) on the line between Nick Drake and Artur Russel, Pavol sails through territories known and unknown combining quieter, pastoral melodies with some not so quiet guitars and various ‘psych tricks throughout the seven tracks here, but particularly evident on “Packyderm” and “Bright Skies” (a Nick Drake “Northern Skies” reference?).

Yet, with all the different reference points Pavol throws in here, there is a genuine sense of consistency and feel to the music presented on Reflections, making the title really prove its case.

Based on this one, Pavol is a not fully discovered treasure that needs quite a bit of attention.

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