Messes

This is really excellent putting that pile of clothes away, morning music. Great brush-your-teeth to, sit-by-the-heater-before-going-outside crooning. Messes is going to ease you into the day, and sees no reason you shouldn’t make time for a second bowl of cereal. Maybe some cinnamon toast.

Aaron Robinson of Messes lives and records in his Echo Park (Los Angeles) home, releasing his self titled EP through shows and by request. Comprised of his guitar and voice, accompanied by friends on xylophone and backing vocals, its a clean little noise Messes makes.

I like the brown paper bag cd case surged together with blue thread and decorated with pictures of birds in flight. Somebody's ink-jet gets a high-five.
I like the (what I’ve taken to describing as) “tingly” guitars, and the well-mannered moodiness of the album as a whole...a lot of love went into Messes and it all feels content, and unhurried.

I was intrigued that some of my initial thoughts listening to Messes were of other bands. Bits of one track reminding me of some forgotten other. Hearing Jonathan Heathcote in “Moment Passing Through You”, or recalling some Walt Mink licks during “Lucky Pennies”. Messes doesn’t sound just like these bands, but the associations made the experience familiar and enjoyable first listen through.

Messes will flow the same vein as Iron and Wine and Jose González for people, but that kind of folk hemorrhage never hurts a guy now and then. Maybe he’s tired of Elliott Smith allusions, or maybe that is how he sometimes describes his own sound. Either way, not the worst thing to have said about your music and Aaron’s own is pleasant to spend some time by.

[mp3] Messes – Quiet Voices
[mp3] Messes – Moment Passing Through You
Bonus track:
[mp3] Messes – One More Step