Elizabethan Age is an album by clash bowley. The artist from Boston seamlessly explores many different textures and colors with these songs. His music is hard to define but one thing I will say is that he has a unique approach to creating music.
The opener “Fear” explores an ever-changing soundscape of sound. It almost sounds like a phaser effect that runs through the entire song. At the center are the vocals which confront fear and sense of hopelessness. Bowley sings “Fear shook my soul / Fear took my heart / Going down that hole / I took that part:.
The opener was a psychedelic journey but the next track entitled “The Great Escape” is more minimalistic as if you landed in a spacious foreign land. There are elements like a bass and a consistent beat which leave a lot of space for the vocals which are covered in a hall reverb. It’s a mysterious sounding song.
The energy starts to pick up with “Right For The River.” This song is also quite minimalistic and leaves plenty of space for the vocals where you can clearly hear the reverb tails which blend with the beat and bass melodies. There are some twists and turns with “Goin’ Radical” as phaser infused guitar leads the charge. This song contained some of the most notable vocal melodies. Bowley attempts some higher notes on this song and when he does it is similar to Thom Yorke who happens to be one of my all time favorite vocalists.
BANDCAMP: https://clashbowley.bandcamp.com/album/elizabethan-age
“Deliquesce” is an instrumental song where the guitar is the lead. It sounded similar to Peter Frampton when he used to use a talk box live on his guitar. I found this song to be very relaxing.
First of all “Darkening of the Sun” is a great name for a song. I don’t how he achieved it but the song sort of feels like that. I was getting similar visuals in my mind’s eyes when listening to this song. Bowley is at a very comfortable vocal range which creates a stoic and haunting quality. I promise if you put on headphones while listening to “In the Silences” it will be worth it. There are two separate beats with one panned hard left and the other hard right.
The album continues with the slick and atmospheric “Hot Time Tonight” as well as one of the most expansive and energy infused songs called “Not There.” “Notes to Self” and “Simple Man” were good songs as well. “Sealed” closes the album and felt like an appropriate way to end the experience.
Bowley has a unique sense of melody and production. Although there are some songs which sounded similar to other artists I would say overall bowley has a very singular sound that unfolds as you listen.. This felt like an album that was meant to be listened to a couple of times to pick up all the details. I for one am excited to hear what else might be around the corner for this artist.
Heather Savage