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Apr 02, 2013 Issue #45 - Winter 2013 - Phoenix By Frank Valish

Caveman’s debut, CoCo Beware, initially self-released but reissued by Fat Possum Records in 2012, was a sweeping, ethereal album that recalled Plants and Animals’ 2008 album Parc Avenue and the work of Fleet Foxes. Call it floating woodland folk, because Caveman’s aesthetic seems to involve hovering in sonic dream states while being grounded enough in organic instrumentation to present something like otherworldly folk music crossed with The Church.

The New York five-piece’s sophomore album, which the band chose to self-title, sounds like the next logical step from CoCo Beware. Much of the same vibe is present. Keyboards set a lush backdrop to the easygoing vocals on “Ankles.” “Pricey” offers occasional slashing guitar to offset the instrumental atmospherics and falsetto vocals. And “Where’s the Time” begins with a simple melodic vocal and a bass line that seems to be coming from far away, and slowly over the course of four minutes, the instrumentation crescendos to a shimmering haze that surrounds the vocals and lift the song heavenward. A noisy guitar finally cuts through for the song’s final 30 seconds. One downside to Caveman is that there is not much variety in the proceedings. But what Caveman does, it does well, and its sophomore album hits all the right notes (www.cavemantheband.com)

Author rating: 7/10