Despite a steady string of albums - ten in ten years, all recorded under various monikers - Anders Parker remains something of an enigma. Apparently, this is Parker’s preference - while his recordings are largely solo efforts, he hid behind the guise of Varnaline and Space Needle before finally reintroducing himself under his own banner. Nevertheless, Parker still maintains the divide; eschewing full disclosure, he blankly titled his new album simply Anders Parker. However, Parker’s aloofness isn’t merely a matter of semantics. His music weaves an elusive spell; hypnotic, atmospheric and elegiac, it possesses a faraway feel that keeps his music just out of reach. Anders Parker is no exception, and yet it’s as beguiling as it is beautiful, a quiet, contemplative set with a luminous sheen. There’s a hint of sadness and tentative deliberation swirling through “Circle Same,” “Oh, Monkeywrench,” “Belated,” and “Proof,” songs that find Parker ruminating about alienation and disconnect. Fortunately, this isn’t merely a prolonged downward gaze. Rather, it’s a sound that’s consistently mesmerizing and affecting, evoking a spectral mood that lingers long after its final notes slowly fade away.
~ Lee Zimmerman
Release date: October 31, 2006
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