Siskiyou - Not Somewhere (Album Review)

 

Siskiyou - Not Somewhere

(2019)

My copy: 2019 press by Constellation.

Siskiyou is the main creative outlet of singer-songwriter Colin Huebert, with a self-titled debut that appeared via Constellation in 2010. Nearly ten years later, Not Somewhere filters candid emotion, witty lyrics and occasional sound experiments through a down-to-Earth offshoot of indie-folk. 

The album is mostly composed for nylon-string guitar, with smooth riffs opening the album on “Stop Trying.” Huebert’s voice here is subdued and cold, adding emotional elements as drums rise over subtle drones. The song fades away into a captivating ambient loop, which is cut from the more rambunctious reprisal that comes near the end of the record. “What Ifs” sways with a drunken swagger, but is turned serious by dissonant piano. The tone is akin to Sun Kil Moon though with a band leader who is less of a rambling dad and more a down-on-his-luck poet. Guitar arpeggios gently accompany the whispered vocals of “Temporary Weakness” which sounds like a lo-fi version of a more traditional indie-folk band like Quilt. The use of glockenspiel ultimately dumbs down the atmosphere and undercuts some of the more impressive melodies. 

Glockenspiel also threatens to ruin “The End II /// Song Of Joy” though the perfectly layered vocals and wavering feedback help to keep things afloat. A bouncy Richard Dawson-esque outro abruptly appears, using jangled guitar chords and bells to shake up the pacing. An oozing harmonica or accordion of sorts aids in creating a somber mood on "Dying Dying Dying /// Wake Wake Wake” which highlights the band’s ability to get emotional without being obnoxious or obvious. Lots of odd instrumental details are packed into the margins of the songs here, from creaking strings to faint piano and feedback. “Unreal Erections /// Severed Heads” shambles about with an off-kilter but almost goofy gait to it: soon becoming the most abrasive and aggressive track as everything builds with Huebert’s sharp vocals. The track crescendos with horns, though the moment is perfectly mixed (for a lo-fi record, of course) so as to not sound tacky. An alternate ending for this song featuring a wider range of woodwinds and horns appears as the final track of the album. 

“Nothing Disease” spotlights Huebert’s ability to get eerie with paranoid chords and major choruses that are kept from being too sweet by dissonant shifts. “Silhouette” switches from piano vamping to descending scales before the powerful “Her Aim Is Tall” bursts into action with distorted, garage-rock vocals. The track concedes to syncopated guitar, piano and sweeter vocalizations before being entirely disassembled into a singular drone, seemingly borrowing from psychedelic music. Everything fades back in with falsetto harmonies for one last pass. 

Not Somewhere is a tragically overlooked release: it may not be entirely groundbreaking, but it is a much needed change of pace for its style. Colin Huebert and co. are able to seamlessly mold melancholy, emo sentiments into clever, alternative shells giving the album an edge on boring contemporaries. The production is lo-fi and lacking at times, but it works into the aesthetic charm. There are a few sickly sweet moments and filler tracks that bog it down, but for modern indie-folk this album is a sure winner.