Listening to “Suehiro” with little to no sleep is a very bad decision. The jarring synth makes one think that the Daleks are hunting you and, with the dark and often destructive lyrics of Borrisokane, it doesn’t seem very likely that any handsome time lords are coming to save you. YOU’RE GOING TO DIE.
Overall Borrisokane’s EP Disaster Face seems stripped down and minimalistic. But each instrument is placed well within the confines of each track, successfully furthering the mood of the piece. Borrisokane has created a strong atmosphere through its use of space and cavernous sounds but truly this album is based around rhythm. The drums are often the center piece for each song, as if the drummer were conducting the band.
The opening track, “Do The Squirmy Worm” has an excellent groove while the guitar skips and scurries over the rest of the song. The tone of the lyrics and cutesy sounding sythns will remind Austin music lovers of the most palpable Baker Family. Borrisokane’s lyrics however have a hint more humor to them (“Elizabeth” for instance: “Let’s flood the basement, let’s set the cats free,”). Bouncing Paul McCartney pianos are always welcome and I particularly enjoyed the anti-ending of “Do The Squirmy Worm”. The tracks “Sinking Catalina” and “Isotel” are equally lovely. The warmth in “Isotel’s” guitar tone is matched only by the gorgeous string section (piccicato is always a plus) and the wonderful vocals by Rebecca Asuan-O’Brien.
Too often songs will telegraph the end of the tune. This is a fault that Borrisokane makes light of in one track and then falls for in the next. The climax of “Elizabeth”, while having an excellent placement of horns, announces the ending a bit too loudly. And in contrast with the subtlety of the rest of the album, it comes off as a bit obvious. The clear climax of “Isotel” is far more successful. The juxtaposition sells the transition and right as this new section of the song hooks the listener with a wonderful melting guitar tone, the whole album stops rather abruptly; kinda like this review. -Taylor Browne
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