Album of the Week: Sholi - Sholi

“Lay the blanket over hard ground/where it's quiet, out of reach from/all that can deceive you from loving me/all that we can see exists in memory.” Who says there’s no room for existentialism in rock these days? But this is the type of philosophical reflections encoded throughout the self-titled debut of Sholi, the three-piece experimental Bay Area band. Call it rock-n-roll Sartre if you must, for this is not music for those who like their rock fast, dumb and loud (sorry QOTSA fans, you might want to avoid the rest of this review). Sholi is packed with lyrics questioning the validity of love, trust in sensory experience, and being “taken by the talents of another one’s reality”. Thankfully though, the album never panders into pretension or bombast. Sholi’s quiet-loud dynamics, shifting time signatures, and arpeggio guitar chords (think Radiohead or early King Crimson without the guitar solos) lends versatility to the album, making it challenging while retaining enough pop sensibilities to not sound off-putting. The opening “All That We Can See” is a six-minute work out that encompasses all of the aforementioned qualities, slowly building momentum onto the complex rhythm by adding and taking away elements (guitar, piano, vocals, harmonica) and finally erupting into a crescendo nearly half-way through the piece. It recalls acts like Mogwai or Explosions in the Sky, yet as opposed to basing their songs purely on dynamics and instrumental technicality, Sholi use vocal melodies to hook the listener’s interest. “November Through June” features Malkmus-like yelps that could have come right off of Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, while “Any Other God” features an actual catchy chorus (albeit one about the futility of love and religion). Yes, Sholi don’t shy away from heavy subject matter, but this doesn’t distract from the wonderful songs and arresting melodies on the album. Just like the Talking Heads and Television before them, Sholi make existentialism sound fun. Long live rock-n-roll Sartre-ism!

Listen To: All That We Can See, Any Other God, November Through June

RIYL: Mogwai, Television, The Microphones