Release Date: March 26, 2013
Label: Backward Music
Two days ago, Joshua Van Tassel showed us the inner-workings of his mind through his moving album, Dream Date. He is back for thirds, and this time he may be hungrier than ever. In-between his June 2011 debut Everyone Has It All and this new album, Tassel has received some noteworthy critical acclaim for his self-titled second album released in September 2011 The CBC rated this as one of the top albums of 2011, and it is currently in the running for "Electronic Album Of The Year" at the '13 East Coast Music Awards. Since his second album came out nearly three years ago, that leaves a lot of space between then and March of this year. Plenty of time to grow, evolve on your own musical ideas, and create something great.
Dream Date does just that. As an album, it is a patient ride that, as each track progresses, begins to unfold onto the next. The music within shows a side of Electro-Folk that is delicate. "Come Home Safe To Me" invites you in through seemingly western influenced acoustic works that are gargantuan enough to be the introduction music to a Tarantino film. Once the doors have flung open, a groove leaks out with the second track, "The Sharpest Corner." This track is notable for its liquid bass work and upbeat rhythmic section. Thus far the album remains speechless, but "The Warmest Heart" quickly changes that. With a Thom Yorke-esque sound and a Neil Young sense of writing, the third track on the album is directed towards the narrator's father. Asking him questions such as "Are you listening? Can you hear me? Where are you going?"
A huge thing about this album is the musical and technical diversity it shows. Certain tracks like "Sentimental Health" focus on a small aspect of the group (in this case, the percussion section), while others, like "Bottom Of The Well," excrete more of a powerful and moving aura. It'll take a couple listens, but while doing so you almost feel forced to hone in on the deeper message.
Moving forward, the final segment of the album is arguably the best; beginning with "Sneaky Beard," a guitar-lead journey with a constantly reappearing and ear-pleasing lick. Following the beauty of that adventure, we fall into the hands of our new Bond, "Daniel Craig." Though you may be expecting fast-paced, panic ensuing music to use when facing serious nostalgia while playing Goldeneye, this is far from that. "Daniel Craig" follows directly in the path that "Sneaky Beard" opened up; a well-constructed piece with memorable themes that will reappear before you know it. Along with that, this track flips back to the opening track in the way that it draws from western-esque influences. Approaching the finale, "I Think You're A Salesman" brings dominant female vocalization which, at this point, is refreshing. It is fairly rare to see an album feature multiple vocalists singing on separate tracks, making Dream Date stick out among the masses. "Companion" ices this gourmet cake off with its airy acoustic harmonies and plot twists. A must-hear from the album with an epic conclusion.
Joshua Van Tassel’s Dream Date thrives for attention by using a combination of acoustic instrumentation and electronic goodness that pushes it over the top. The album itself, overall, is so clearly put and delicately layered. Many different styles appear track to track, showing extreme variety and leaving you thoroughly satisfied in many different ways. Already being a big contender for Best of '13, Dream Date is truly an album to keep your attention and have you back for seconds.
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