There aren’t a lot of bands like Tiny Hazard floating around these days. Their brand of avant-pop is quite unique and that’s certainly also due to the fact that the music they’ve strived to master is difficult to conceive, let alone perform. Maybe that’s why their new record "Greyland" took about five years to be finalized. Alena Spanger’s vocals are the core of the record, leading the tracks’ twists and turn with her beautiful soprano, never afraid to get downright complex/intense. There’s a paradoxical stance taken with the composition, with the melodies pivoting back and forth from sweet to dissonant, and the arrangements from orchestral to utterly noisy. The songs are sparse in their instrumentation but tease the ear with their stops and starts, time changes, odd tempos, and dynamic and melodic shifts. There’s so much to be worked out for the listener of this album that a repeated close listening is required to appreciate it fully: it’s truly a gift that keeps on giving. Be sure to pick up a copy of "Greyland," it’s a worthy investment, and don’t miss the band live at The Silent Barn on April 14. – Andrew Strader
