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...according to our Brian on Thu 14 Apr, 2011.
Now I wasn't mad on this bedroom producer last time I caught him in action. He's expanded his palette a little to fill up his debut album and his more brittle sound now makes more sense. Yes, it's 80's sensitive new-wave pop time but wait!! Please don't run away!! Take, for instance 'Scandinavian Crush' which is an uplifting dream of a song, so wonderfully constructed you'll punch the air afterwards! Other tunes recall mid 80's Factory (IE a slightly limp New Order), late 80s twee or even quickly visit dream pop pastures but the combination of perky, sparse guitar licks & frisky drum machine on the last single (included here) could still do with a different vocal style in my mind. It doesn't work like, say, The Smiths did (IE jaunty music vs maudlin voice) and annoys me considerably. I think he's got some good quality tunes under his belt though but I'm left feeling like he's just rifled through someone's pop & indie collection from the 80s and adopted various guises without injecting a great deal of originality in there. There's so many vocal intonations & half buried melodies within this album that irritatingly recall numerous half-forgotten old established acts. If you're a fan of the Captured Tracks label you'll find plenty to enjoy but I'd like to see Sniper & co adapt their schtick to other fields & actually leave the 80s occasionally.....
"In the cold and dreary winter of 2009, alone in his bedroom and hidden from the darkness of the world outside Justin Paul Vallesteros had begun working on something that would change his life forever. What began as a couple notes played in experimentation soon transformed into vibrant melodies that soon shook Vallesteros musical foundation to the core. Guitar chords laced over pulse sating synth melodies and drum rhythms was a departure from Justin s previous work; he began to create the dreamy nostalgic pop music that is Craft Spells. Justin is a California native who now finds residence in the mid-size town of Stockton, the heart of California. Craft Spells is the epitome of the recent uprising of the DIY music scene. Coming from a place not known for its musical history or impact on music culture it seemed destined for Craft Spells to stay as a bedroom pop project with no final destination in sight. But soon the shear amount of blog volume his work began to generate was unimaginable. Sites like Weekly Tape Deck, Pasta Primavera, No Modest Bear and Pitchfork s Forkcast took notice and thus began the never ending worldwide posting and re-posting on blog after blog of Craft Spells. The sound is led by Justin s blissful voice, backed behind beautiful guitar melodies over heavenly synths, pop basslines and looped rhythms. Captured Tracks has released 7 single for the song Party Talk and will release the debut LP due out in Spring 2011 called Idle Labor. 2011 is going to be a busy year now that Justin has set up a live band for future touring. Keep a look out for tour dates in Europe and US come the new year. In no time at all, Justin has been able to move out of Dave Brubeck and Pavement s shadow to create something his own which he shares with the ever continuing admiration of the world."
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