Akron/Family – Love Is Simple

My introduction to Akron/Family came from a fellow student as she shared the infectious haunts of “Raising the Sparks” through a single headphone speaker. The post lecture hall listening party hardly did justice to the song that she was eager to title as “song of the year”. But despite my less than appropriate listening environment, this situation proved a stepping stone for my conversion and imminent love affair with the tribal pop chorals of Akron/Family’s creative gems.

On their new release, Akron/Family is found shifting to the sounds of a slightly different tune as they proclaim their new mantra in the appropriately titled Love Is Simple. The album is filled with love songs that incorporate lyrics that some have found to be a tad on the sappy but can easily be translated as a reflection of a mere fun, nonchalant side of the band that seems to be coming out more than on previous recordings. The brilliant “Ed Is A Portal” follows suit in the Akron/Family canon of tribal pop chaos with an open house choral arrangement and kitchen sink percussion that ends in a summation that makes a pretty steady trajectory toward camp Elephant 6. Though Love Is Simple is fairly complex in its arrangements it is a lighthearted ride through the typically depressing genre of love song sing alongs that conclusively triumphs in it the albums overall intentions.

[mp3] Akron/Family - Ed Is A Portal
[mp3] Akron/Family - Phenomena

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