It’s been a while since Capillary Action’s Jonathan Pfeffer has graced the world with some of the signature math pop that his old band Capillary Action excelled at. However, Pfeffer has kept busy by exploring the world of contemporary classical composition and his work in this realm seems to have imbued these two new pop songs with a heightened sense of clarity and focus even though Pfeffer’s formal structures remain as delightfully schizophrenic as ever.
“Care If U Cum” finds Pfeffer working in a full band setting, but with a much more restrained instrumental palate than some of Capillary Action’s material. However, Pfeffer gets the most out of his quartet of players by employing all sorts of subtle overdubs in conjunction with extended technique and minimal electronics. As a result, “Care If U Cum” seems to flow seamlessly despite it’s constantly shifting form.
“Geologist” on the other hand is a stripped down voice and guitar duet that beautifully illustrates the anxiety of beginning a relationship with a large age discrepancy between partners. However, despite the stripped down arrangement, the track still manages to defy conventional form/harmony and comes across like a deconstructed Jonathan Richman song as a result. When experienced in tandem, these two tracks show that Pfeffer’s really honing the art of making formally hyperactive experimental pop music that sounds streamlined through its idiomatic use of musical materials.
• Jonathan Pfeffer http://www.jonathanpfeffer.com
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