Carvest, the latest LP by Brooklyn-based polymath Scott D. Townsend (recording under the project name HARD JOB) splits the difference between Townsend’s lively, melodic songwriting and a vast array of experimental, instrumental parts. The album opens with “I Look at Miserable,” a 90s rock inspired track that showcases Townsend’s bombastic, raw vox against a repeating, major bass loop, squealing riffs, and a floor tom heavy percussive line; this sound quickly transitions to “White Noise,” a song underpinned by reverb heavy drums and a persistent noisy hum alongside Townsend’s bright, alternative radio-friendly vocals. Later HARD JOB goes full art pop with “Dating In Your 30’s,” a fun upbeat tune supported by a constant kitschy metronome-like beat and various echoing electric guitars. Overall, Carvest is a deeply interesting and wholly disorienting effort, cohesive in its creator’s desire to reinvent a plethora of different genre influences in his own image, making for a fascinating listen. Stream it below, and catch HARD JOB at Alphaville on December 19th, alongside Painted Faces, Human Flourishing, and Video Daughters. —Connor Beckett McInerney
