by: Zero Sharp
Looking through reviews for past albums revealed that disjointedness is not just a one CD issue, it's a way of life for Piano Magic. Once you put aside desire for theme cohesion, "Writers Without Homes" is an interesting album. Styles throughout the album are diverse, which was at least partially influenced by the various other musicians who they brought in to work with. Simon Raymonde of the Cocteau Twins, John Grant of The Czars, several members of Tarwater, Robert Johnstone of Life Without Buildings, and Vashti Bunyan of 60s folk rock fame are just some of the well-known artists who appear on the album. At first pass, the first song on the album, "(Music Won't Save You From Anything but) Silence" doesn't belong at all. Although it is a nice track, it stands out as the only one that is clearly not mellow, that is, with large instrumental outbursts inside an otherwise minimal soundscape. Many of the highlights for me on this cd include the tracks "Postal", "The Season is Long", and "Shot Through the Fog" where a surreal yet interesting piano progression backs spoken word or something near it. Songs in the middle sound folky. "Modern Jupiter" edges closer to minimal techno. It's just an odd listen, but it seems that Piano Magic are no strangers to making albums without cores to hold on to. However, all in all, there are several good tracks here, making the album a recommended listen.
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