Chris Weisman - Message From Work:

We've got a delightfully understated album here from singer-songwriter Chris Weisman. I had no idea what to expect at all when I put it on and was half-expecting some kind of awkward experimental business, but no, he comes straight out on the first track with a friendly little guitar-and-banjo shuffle that brings to mind a less tortured Elliott Smith with his softly-sung little vignettes. The way the songs are structured melodically brings to mind Jon Brion, but with less varied instrumentation...there's that same simple, bouncy, nostalgic feel to it, though. Weisman has a habit of sending his melodies off in unexpected directions that sound slightly jarring and awkward, which makes for an interesting sound with these gentle, lilting melodies. It gives proceedings a sense of sinister tension, which is used to good effect when he resolves into the chorus with something more comfortable, and often the unintuitive melodies coupled with pretty vocal harmonies gives it a kind of Beatlesy feel. An understated but massively likeable album full of dreamy alt-pop loveliness.