Owen Pallett Heartland (Domino)
5/5
By: Liane Escorza
I am confronted with the dilemma of having to write a second review of this album, or give the task to somebody else. It’s a dilemma, I shall say, that is easily and quickly solvable - I could write as many reviews of this piece of art as notes are in the songs included in this CD. And believe you me, there are many.
Owen Pallett’s third album Heartland is a detailed, complex, difficult (though catchy!) and sophisticated work, built, I sense, as an orchestral book of fairy tales from preface to end (or shall we say here, the perfectly exquisite Requiem that is ‘What Do You Think Will Happen Now?’). It’s closely knitted in moods and sonic landscapes: a story unfolds in shapes of mystery, suspense, drama, playfulness, teasing, depth, sobriety and caprice. Heartland is clearly Owen’s secret hiding place and it is, by far, the album that mostly exudes his talented and rebellious persona.
His classical upbringing and experimentation with pop are fused here without restraint. Sometimes sad, sometimes euphoric, sometimes angelical, sometimes sexy, Owen’s land is a palette of knightly virtues and royal hymns, jousting games, galloping scenarios and religious grandeur. From ‘Keep The Dog Quiet’ to ‘E is for Estrangeland’ to Lewis Takes Action’ and ‘Oh Heartland, Up Yours’, there is not one single song with an ounce of imperfection. As perfect as one’s own Heartland can be, that is.
Watch Owen performing as Final Fantasy on Rockfeedback TV below:
Artists in this article: Owen Pallett
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