"Enter To Exit" is the latest from Portland, Oregon-based pop songsmith Fernando Viciconte and his band - Portland stalwarts Jeff "Chet" Lyster and Derek Brown (both of The Eels), Paul Brainard (Richmond Fontaine), Qwee, and Lewi Longmire (a journeyman in the NW's roots -rock and country scene).
Coupling gorgeous melodies and lush vocals with haunting lyricism, Fernando's "Enter To Exit" is another dose of Fernando's dark, haunting world wrapped in a pretty, sparkling package.
From the bouncy "The Reluctant Deity" to the somber piano-led "Mariana" and through the acoustic "The Change In Us", Fernando's melodies are always spot-on, as is his voice, while his lyrics paint a different picture, one of sadness, sorrow, and demons.
This is Fernando at his best, mixing the melancholy of 2001's "Dreams of the Sun and Sky" with more realized pop arrangements, ensuring that you sing along - even when times are dark.
"The instrumentation is both varied and subdued... Over the core of guitars, keyboards and a rhythm section, there are sympathetically arranged flourishes of trumpet, string trio, lap steel and other tonally vibrant sounds. Fernando's singing is rich and expressive, equally capable of giving confident focus to a moody ballad or to a propulsive little rocker..." - Pulse! Magazine (October 2001)
"Fernando Viciconte may not be a household name, but the Portland, Oregon singer has the dynamic persona of a certified rock star... its Viciconte's somber vocal melodies that steal the show." - CMJ New Music Report Issue: 731 - Sep 10, 2001
Fernando on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/fernandomusic
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