Singer/multi-instrumentalist Johnny Unicorn — who also is one of the keyboard players for Phideaux — was kind enough to include a copy of his fourth album, 2010's Sweet Edith Manton, when he sent us his latest record, Thinking Hard to Overcome Nervousness. Here, he plays all of the instruments save drums and percussion, and while the songs are shorter then those on its eventual successor, Sweet Edith Manton attempts to tackle a lot of musical and lyrical ground in less than 40 minutes.
The album is described on Unicorn's Bandcamp.com site as one that "explores the anxiety of modernity and the terror of everyday life using progressive rock and pop sounds." In fact, if you listen closely enough to the music in between Unicorn's nasally delivery and sometimes oddball instrumentation, you can hear elements of Spock's Beard, Yes, Queen and Porcupine Tree (especially in the mightily impressive 16-minute "Edith Manton" suite that closes the disc).
Unicorn's AutoTuned vocals on "Science" are as unexpected as they are charming, because by the time that track rolls around, Unicorn has already established himself as a credible writer, vocalist and musician on songs such as "Date Movie Fever" and "I'm On Fire." Technology augments this guy's DIY nature, and "Science" strives to make important social statements: "Don't look now, beyond closed eyes/There is no future when you predict one/Weekend saddled with emotion/A rusty rainbow, a poisoned spectrum." And tthe lyrics make less sense as the album progresses: "I ate those pears for dinner/They rolled across my table/A car was trapped beneath us/Reluctantly we vanished" (from "The Last Day").
But for something different yet broad enough to appeal to prog, pop and classic rock fans, look no further than Johnny Unicorn – even if that's probably not his real name.
Track Listing:
One
1) Lady Drives
2) Date Movie Fever
3) I'm On Fire
4) Science
5) The Last Day
6) The Ice Cream That Burned
7) 50 Times
Two
8) Edith Manton
a) Warm Rain
b) Close Night; Real Life
c) Young, Usual, Ready
d) Out of the Cave
e) Finale
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