Not Somewhere

Description

Siskiyou returns from a four-year hiatus with Not Somewhere, which finds band leader Colin Huebert (ex-Great Lake Swimmers) essentially in solo mode, writing and self-recording this new collection on his own, playing just about everything himself. Not Somewhere harkens back to Siskiyous magical, understated 2010 debut in this and other ways: the albums production rekindles a homespun intimacy, where plain-spoken lyrics grapple with portraits of quiet quotidian despair, fragile existential horizon lines separating perseverance and defeatism, honest and unremarkable lives trapped in cultures of false consciousness, impossible desire, self-analysis and self-medication. Huebert was commissioned by NYC artist/designer Stefan Sagmeister to write the theme song for The Happy Film, a movie accompaniment to The Happy Show installation art project ruminations on happiness that strongly echo Hueberts own tone and sensibility. Sagmeister wanted the unadorned aesthetic of early , leading Huebert to often write and record songs in the same day. The result is a beautifully restrained and direct song cycle of tunes anchored by acoustic guitar and brushed drumming, detailed with delicate textures, spartan melodic overdubs, and Hueberts distinctively forthright, whisperingly confidential vocal delivery. Not Somewhere is delicate, discreet, and wonderfully assured a humble, wistfully observational and meditatively personal return for Siskiyou. Huebert self-recorded and played almost everything himself, with contributions from guest musicians including cellist and labelmate Rebecca Foon (Saltland, Esmerine) and Destroyer regulars Joseph Shabason and JP Carter on horns and woodwinds. The result is a beautifully restrained and unvarnished song cycle of tunes anchored by acoustic guitar and brushed drumming, detailed with delicate textures,spartan melodic overdubs, and Hueberts distinctively forthright, whisperingly confidential vocal delivery. From the austere Velvets-chug of What Ifs to the Elephant 6-inspired looseness of Her Aim IsTall and Stop Trying (jubilant reprise) and the sparkling hush of atmospheric twilight folkinflected pieces like Temporary Weakness and Silhouette, Not Somewhere is delicate and discreet yet wonderfully assured a profoundly humble, wistfully observational and meditatively personal return for Hueberts Siskiyou project.