Review Summary: Pretty cool white-guy-with-a-guitar stuff
There are a few things that can usually be assumed when it comes to lo-fi basement folk. First off, the reason why the artist is playing lo-fi basement folk is usually because they can’t afford to spend time or money playing anything else. Acoustic guitars come fairly cheap, and it’s pretty easy to turn your phone’s recorder on and play some simple chords while singing some “personal” lyrics that a twelve year old could’ve come up with. When this is considered it’s fairly understandable to assume that’s what Ian Christ’s album Hara Kiri Arcade was going to sound like. Instead, however, the album manages to defy many expectations, but still falls somewhat short of perfection.
One of the most ear-catching qualities of the music is something most would consider very simple: Christ’s voice. The voice immediately reminds the listener of similar tenor The Hotelier’s Christian Holden, and especially similar are the desperate yelps for attention that loves to grab the listener’s ear. While Christ’s voice isn’t the most original or pleasant sounding, it certainly conveys emotion to a very sufficient degree while also delivering the lyrics without leaving much room for slurring – something that is very important in acoustic folk.
The guitar work on Hara Kiri Arcade is definitely admirable but is nowhere perfect. There are occasional moments of imperfection where Christ buzzes annoyingly on a note or two, or when a chord doesn't really sound completely built, but all in all the simple acoustic guitar travels along a thick melody line that is, frankly, very appropriate for most of the album. He manages to stay well within a fairly wide comfort zone and lets his voice and lyrics do most of the playing around.
What is most interesting is the lyrical content Christ hovers around. Tales of honest anguish protrude every crevice of the work, and the lyrics paint very vivid pictures that sometimes even our friends Christian Holden and Jesse Lacy (Brand New) have trouble doing. Very few moments are cheesy, which is something Christ ought to be applauded for, as this type of lyrical content often has trouble staying out of the zone in which it will parody itself.
All in all Ian Christ delivered significantly with his lo-fi acoustic folk album, managing to deliver on the grounds of vocal quality, guitar work, lyrical content, and clear production and recording. Hara Kiri Arcade, despite its obnoxious title, is an easily digestible album with very emotional and relatable themes. It’s not the most special thing in the grand scheme of acoustic folk, but it surely does exactly what it was meant to do.
