Adam Arcuragi successfully marries music and poetry in his self titled album released earlier in March. Fused to listening perfection, Arcuragi’s first full length release is anything but juvenile. In fact, it is a fruit ripened by the sun and a lot of heartfelt personal experiences; capturing something that is hard to find in somebody of Arcuragi’s age. Distinctive by dense lyrical content sung through a grainy and raw voice, Adam Arcuragi’s self titled album certainly has a lot to offer listeners.
The first song on the album, “All the Bells” begins with a fast paced, choppy guitar. Arcuragi’s lyrics impart an innate connection with the human body and nature. “Hey now, speak to me in language that my primitive ears can understand,” sings Arcuragi. “All the Bells” seems to be an appropriate opening into an album which is entirely evocative, about communication in words and emotion. The song is full, employing a lush blending of instrumentation centered loosely around Arcuragi’s choppy guitar and strong vocals. Like most of the songs on this album, the chorus’s are marked by repetition of phrases rather than any change in instrumentation; Arcuragi refreshingly discards the adherence of a traditional songwriting that might be outdated.
“1981” uses uplifting instrumentation like jerky, rough guitar playing and the tambourine behind a voice telling of things that generally aren’t so uplifting. “Oh one day, the few pictures taken will spoil, and for all those that come later my face and the past will all be brown.” The song seems to be about the impermanence of life, but Adam Arcuragi seems calm and comfortable in the face of inevitable death. Arcuragi’s voice seems particularly strained in this song. Not in the sense that he is technically incapable, but instead it conveys a strange yearning in “a continuous refrain of joy I’ll never know,” as he puts it. “1981” also embodies Arcuragi’s trademark biblical references. “When I dissipate all the angels will rejoice, Pressing their wings together to sing in heaven’s perfect voice.”
Other songs on the album are a bit more austere, focusing mostly around finger picking and Adam Arcuragi’s poignant lyrics. He has the ability to let a song stand on its own, his feel for poetic rhythm buttressing simple instrumental pieces. “Delicate,” is a sad waltz reminiscent of Beck’s Sea Change. A steel lap guitar and expressive fiddle tracks are paired with Arcuragi’s slow, droning vocals.
Adam Arcuragi’s album is a versatile collection of experience, sound, and poetry. There’s this young, lively music telling of young experiences, combined with an old, wise foresight into topics that many people don’t feel at ease speaking about. Listeners have a choice and a wide range of levels to relate to. The music could stand alone and the melodies are catchy. Many of the songs are the type you could sing along to in the car with friends. On another plane, Adam Arcuragi is truly a poet, and there is a wealth of enjoyment to be reaped from reading his lyrics on their own.
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June 14th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
thank you all so much again for hosting that amazing evening! keep up the tremendous work!
June 14th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
This guy (adam) has such an awesome voice, the girl with the voilin is so elagant, the girl with the guitar gave the band such an interesting vibe, and the dude with the saw was the shit. The show was awesome.