His Name Is Alive Detrola

Subtlety is a facet of musicianship that is rarely practised in modern song writing, and is scarcely appreciated within the majority of our country's contemptible music criticism. Owing to this, it is unlikely that His Name Is Alive's latest and perhaps best album to date, Detrola, will be received with glowing praise. Admittedly, we are living in an era of musical overexposure, and with the rise of the internet we can literally have a 'new favourite band' every day if we do so wish. Added to our ever-diminishing attention spans, the bands that tend to make it into the national consciousness are the ones who have the shortest shelf-life, and usually the least depth.

Fortunately, Warn Defever's current effort was released almost a full year ago in the States, and I have had until now to absorb and mull over what it had to offer before its eventual release over here. On my initial listen I was aware that this is, at the least, an interesting album - these are well-written and arranged pop songs recorded intimately with a variety of instrumentation. But it perhaps took a few weeks before I felt I had digested the album properly and started to appreciate it fully. The album seemed to allow space for me to consider the songs, and I found myself longing to listen to it again and again, almost addictively.

Detrola appears to invite careful consideration, seeping into one's consciousness. However, this fact does not necessarily amount to pretentiousness; on the contrary, Detrola expresses a sort of humble honesty which we can witness on the album closer Send My Face. The track is reminiscent of an old-style traditional ballad, verging on a wartime sing-along, led by Andy FM. Her voice itself is modest: substantially constrained, but enough to carry the song. It may be no coincidence that Detrola was the largest Michigan radio manufacturer during the Second World War (Defever is based in Livonia, Michigan) and made its last radio in 1948. Parts of the album are akin to the optimistic popular songs of the forties designed to keep morale high and families together, as they sat around their radio in the evenings waiting for news from Europe.

Throughout, female voices percolate to the front of our audible cognisance and note progressions can be found recurring throughout several songs like familiar memories beneath the surface of our recent remembrance. The singing voices of Andy FM, Lovetta Pippen and Erika Hoffman are perfectly suited to the songs they are assigned to. Although their respective voices are of a similar style and range, each seems to vary enough to provide a different atmosphere from track to track. Hoffmann's voice is seductive and sensual, whilst FM's voice is more humble, traditional, and wavering, much like the old style synths.

On Here Forever Always, FM's voice almost mimics the synths that bolster the track - old-sounding, textured notes with a warbling pitch, liable to decay at any given second. There is a distinct conjunction of the traditional and the modern that is represented by these 'time-aged' analogue synths, paired with more modern drum machines and electric guitars. Defever is not shy of admitting his influences, as blues, jazz and country seems to permeate our recognition. However, as a whole, the record blends these influences in such a way that avoids the tawdry theft of each new guitar band that are hailed the weekly saviours of music.

His Name Is Alive are not the saviours of music, but Detrola proves that after fifteen years of music-making it is possible to make a stunning album, perhaps even a career best. Put the record on, listen to it in its entirety (it barely makes forty minutes long) and let yourself be seduced. The album allows you space to digest, and tends to attach itself to your mood. The delicacy of production is something that will be appreciated by the minority - this is an album that quietly lulls and hypnotises the listener with wearied synths that are often emotionally touching without being overly sentimental. Detrola will not make an impression on every soul that considers its eleven tracks, but for many it will strike a chord, and that is enough. This is 'dream pop' at its best, and should not be taken for granted.