Always check the B-side first…something I started doing a long time ago to mixed results but it paid off well here.  Not that there really is a B-side these days in many cases..but you get the point.  Not to say I have any objection to “Panoramic”…I just like this track better 🙂

There is something very poignant in the stark way in which this song begins.   And it is not just the discordant keys but also the way that the vocal cuts in over the top.   It sets an immediate mood…mournful, accepting…maybe a little sad humor.   The words here are simple yet evocative – lines such as “you like how it covers up the trash with the snow,” tell you much about the scene and also about the people involved in the story.  

The instrumentation is good here also, starting off slowly and building as it moves along.  It is a nice sonic journey that adds to the atmosphere and tone of this entire track.   And I really like that tight drum in the second half…hammering away…very nice. 

The last 40 seconds or so of this get a little too muddled for me but there is also a message there which does work…just a personal issue for me I guess:)  And at the very end there is a very graceful final 10 seconds that cleans it all up very well…kind of a static good-bye.  

Overall, there are a lot of good musical layers in this song.   These musicians, who have turned out such great music both together and separately over the years,  shine through here and I would definitely recommend it. 

You can check out more of their music and information on the Bandcamp page https://partialtraces.bandcamp.com

And please remember to support your local musicians wherever you are…community is powerful!