Absolute Truth
General
| Oct 2016
Reviews
Francis D
Reviewed 2016-10-31
Reviewed 2016-10-31
“Absolute Truth” Lawrence Arabia
James Milne is the singer-songwriter and creative force who performs as New Zealand’s Lawrence Arabia. Milne’s 4th album is “Absolute Truth,” a 10-song set of indie pop-rock, chamber-pop and folk-rock that illustrates how much he’s grown and matured as an artist and individual over the past decade. His lyrics are smart and often introspective; arrangements intricate, while sounding deceivingly simple; production always polished. He has a knack for creating memorable melodies and musical hooks that will have you listening to this album again and again. Many of the stories Milne tells on “Absolute Truth” seem to be backward-looking and embody retro elements as, at age 35, he leaves his youth behind and looks to the future.
— Francis
Recommended: 1, 7, 10, 6, 2, 4, 8. No FCCs detected.
1. (3:29) A Lake – Melodic pop-rock. Vocals shift between normal register and falsetto. Layers are deftly added throughout. Drums. Piano. Mellow guitar. Strings. And ultimately, rich Beatles-like harmonies. A masterpiece. ****
2. (3:03) Sweet Dissatisfaction – Simple, bouncy and swingy — with plink-y piano and brass trappings. Faint conversation in the background. ***
3. (2:15) The Old Dancefloor – Slow burn and sweet. Brushes on drums. Spare instrumentation.
4. (3:34) I Waste My Time – Synth squiggles. Bright and boing-y. Clock-like rhythm. Calliope-like synth/organ. Crisp, fingerpicked guitar. Segues directly into next track. ***
5. (2:47) Brain Gym – Harpsichord-like sound with piano overlaid. Wistful lead vocals and backing chorus. Novelty rhythm interwoven with electric guitar on trail-out.
6. (4:20) O Heathcote — Leisurely and melancholy. Melody rises and falls as it ambles along. Piano. Strings. Brass. Laid-back vocals. Very Beatles-like harmonies and overall feeling. ***
7. (3:07) Another Century – A slow, swaying dance. Very 1960s. Intricate rhythm and bass line. Strings. Bells. Rich, harmonized vocals. ****
8. (4:39) The Palest of Them All – Simple melody. Piano, guitar, strings, and airy vocals. Fuzz guitar in the lead breaks. ***
9. (4:02) Mask of Maturity – Playful and melodramatic. Chamber pop. Swirling strings and big harmonized vocals.
10. (3:24) What Became of That Angry Young Man – Perhaps semi-autobiographical look back at his youth. Innocence examined. Simply arranged and sung. Builds to bigger parts. Wonderful closer! ****
James Milne is the singer-songwriter and creative force who performs as New Zealand’s Lawrence Arabia. Milne’s 4th album is “Absolute Truth,” a 10-song set of indie pop-rock, chamber-pop and folk-rock that illustrates how much he’s grown and matured as an artist and individual over the past decade. His lyrics are smart and often introspective; arrangements intricate, while sounding deceivingly simple; production always polished. He has a knack for creating memorable melodies and musical hooks that will have you listening to this album again and again. Many of the stories Milne tells on “Absolute Truth” seem to be backward-looking and embody retro elements as, at age 35, he leaves his youth behind and looks to the future.
— Francis
Recommended: 1, 7, 10, 6, 2, 4, 8. No FCCs detected.
1. (3:29) A Lake – Melodic pop-rock. Vocals shift between normal register and falsetto. Layers are deftly added throughout. Drums. Piano. Mellow guitar. Strings. And ultimately, rich Beatles-like harmonies. A masterpiece. ****
2. (3:03) Sweet Dissatisfaction – Simple, bouncy and swingy — with plink-y piano and brass trappings. Faint conversation in the background. ***
3. (2:15) The Old Dancefloor – Slow burn and sweet. Brushes on drums. Spare instrumentation.
4. (3:34) I Waste My Time – Synth squiggles. Bright and boing-y. Clock-like rhythm. Calliope-like synth/organ. Crisp, fingerpicked guitar. Segues directly into next track. ***
5. (2:47) Brain Gym – Harpsichord-like sound with piano overlaid. Wistful lead vocals and backing chorus. Novelty rhythm interwoven with electric guitar on trail-out.
6. (4:20) O Heathcote — Leisurely and melancholy. Melody rises and falls as it ambles along. Piano. Strings. Brass. Laid-back vocals. Very Beatles-like harmonies and overall feeling. ***
7. (3:07) Another Century – A slow, swaying dance. Very 1960s. Intricate rhythm and bass line. Strings. Bells. Rich, harmonized vocals. ****
8. (4:39) The Palest of Them All – Simple melody. Piano, guitar, strings, and airy vocals. Fuzz guitar in the lead breaks. ***
9. (4:02) Mask of Maturity – Playful and melodramatic. Chamber pop. Swirling strings and big harmonized vocals.
10. (3:24) What Became of That Angry Young Man – Perhaps semi-autobiographical look back at his youth. Innocence examined. Simply arranged and sung. Builds to bigger parts. Wonderful closer! ****
Recent airplay
A Lake
KZSU Time Traveler — Nov 03, 2023
What Became Of That Angry Young Man?
KZSU Time Traveler — Jul 13, 2018
O Heathcote
KZSU Time Traveler — Feb 16, 2018
What Became Of That Angry Young Man?
KZSU Time Traveler — Jan 05, 2018
A Lake
KZSU Time Traveler — Jan 13, 2017
What Became Of That Angry Young Man?
KZSU Time Traveler — Jan 06, 2017
Charting
2016-11-09 — 2017-01-11
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Jan 8 | 1 |
| Jan 1 | 1 |
| Dec 25 | 1 |
| Dec 18 | 2 |
| Dec 11 | 1 |
| Dec 4 | 1 |
| Nov 20 | 1 |
| Nov 13 | 1 |
Track listing
| 1. | A Lake | ||
| 2. | Sweet Dissatisfaction | ||
| 3. | The Old Dancefloor | ||
| 4. | I Waste My Time | ||
| 5. | Brain Gym | ||
| 6. | O Heathcote | ||
| 7. | Another Century | ||
| 8. | The Palest Of Them All | ||
| 9. | Mask Of Maturity | ||
| 10. | What Became Of That Angry Young Man? |