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[EXPERIMENTAL POP] Lane Barrington's last album was full of questions. Literally. It's called Pop Quiz, and every track title ends in a question mark. The frontman of the Ocean Floor, which started as a solo project over a decade ago and now includes members of Typhoon and AU, doesn't bring much more certainty to Falling Star Castle. A product of self-proclaimed music geeks, the sound is inventive, nonlinear and not exactly an easy listen. Barrington's hushed, skipping vocals are hardly decipherable, while scores of instruments—such as piano, clarinet, flute, strings, varying percussion and doo-wop inspired, a capella backing vocals—take turns swirling through the compositions. Engineered to be an immersive and imaginative experience, the album rejects the notion of "singles" and formulaic songwriting by using a broad spectrum of sounds and musical phrases that unfold unexpectedly while remaining both intentional and playful.
SEE IT: The Ocean Floor plays Velo Cult, 1969 NE 42nd Ave., on Sunday, Dec. 2. 8 pm. $5. All ages.
WWeek 2015