+RSS
 
 

Sebastian Schuller "Tears Coming Home"

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

On “Tears Coming Home” (mp3), Sebastian Schuller has created a slight, wonder-filled ode to the occasional majesty of sadness. By distancing the event that triggered the emotion from his recollection of it, he allows himself (and the listener) to take pleasure in the elegance of despair and the childlike appreciation of human frailty, like countrymen Michel Gondry and Jean-Pierre Jeunet have made careers doing. The icy synths melt and drip downward, hissing and fizzing as they come into contact with what’s below, and Schuller walks through the scenery with the air of the accidental creator—like Amelie Poulain, or Bjork during Spike Jonze’s video for “It’s Oh So Quiet,” or even Dave Chappelle during Block Party—strolling around and revelling in the wonder that has sprouted from his deepest yearnings. It also doesn’t hurt that Schuller possesses a thick, honeyed falsetto of the Grant Lee Phillips sort, and that this song could have easily stood out on Phillips’ electronic-tinged and woefully underappreciated Mobilize. Wider than a mile emotional affect without mawkish preening (and occasional tantrums) is all too rare these days, so savor this.

Happiness comes out September 26 on Minty Fresh Records. Schuller’s website.

4 Comments

*
*