Album Notes

Review from Comes with a Smile--Unbunny Black Strawberries ("Does your father know the state we're in / if he dies I will be king / it's happening so fast I could use a glass of water") Acoustic guitar led, pleasantly lo-fi musings from Unbunny, with extremely likeable vocals that hark back to 'Harvest'-era Neil Young and early Bowie as much as they do Jasons Lytle and Molina. Jarid del Deo's songs slip effortlessly by; his simple strummed chords and choice lyrics making for a most unassuming, yet enjoyable, listen. Similarly unobtrusive, the rhythm section slips in behind him, an occasional guest appearance - Rob Downen's trumpet, Chris Walla's (from Death Cab for Cutie) piano - providing tasteful embellishments rather than scene-stealing cameos. ("The policeman with the thinning hair / watching people running red lights / but he doesn't care / because he's in a way as the hours pass / drawing shapes in the steam on the cold, cold glass of his windshield") In Northern Spies, Swans are Fainting, In a Way and Let It All Burn, del Deo has penned some of the most engaging songs heard all year, awash with melody and smile-inducing imagery. ("Is this a song or is this a painting? / Swans are fainting / Even with the spotlights on them... should we call the doctor in?") Brief and beautiful, 'Black Strawberries' oozes charm. MD