Alex Northrup - The Navigator (USA 2010)

From Brooklyn, New York, comes ALEX NORTHRUP.

Former bands included BAD KIDS, THE FROGBOTS, TIN SPHINX and some more – as listed on his Myspace site.

The Navigator was recorded on a 4-track "over the past months or so". Indeed some of the songs (a minority!) sound rather lo-fi (e.g. The Harbor/Pandering Box). Obviously all the instruments, mainly guitar, piano, organ, and the vocals are by the man himself, excerpt for a little help by Jim Hill (bs, mandol.,perc.) on one track and Ben Schwabe (tamb.) on another one – as listed on the back cover.

Otherwise I don't have much info on this release or the artist.

Check out his Myspace site for more.

The music is a mix of rock/pop music and some a little bit more experimental tracks in singer/song writer mood. The playing is well done and the arrangements are good aswell, though you won't find any real big surprises (some backwards guitars here and there, some distorted piano playing, a theremin...). The music gets a little bit more adventurous with the last three songs, in fact my favourite ones.

All things considered The Navigator is a solid album that makes for good listening. I guess the overall relaxed and somewhat slightly, well, ... strange, mellow atmosphere is caught very well in the cover art work.

Favourite tracks: 30N and Ticker Tape Parade/Radiocity

http://www.myspace.com/alexnorthrup1768

ALEX NORTHRUP: The Navigator (2010)

(mp3-zip, 9 tracks, 35 min, 32,4 MB, artwork incl.)

Get it here or here or here!