Review Summary: I love free music. And so will you.
1 of 1 thought this review was well writtenI have no idea who Sean Fournier is, and statistically, you have no idea either. The Connecticut-born, self-taught, lyric-driven singer-songwriter has been carting his
Free EP,
Oh My with the tagline "
This album is free: spread it like the plague," and never before have I been so motivated to spread the word about an artist.
Oh My is overflowing with cheery melodies, winsome lyrics and bouncy progressions without becoming irritatingly sweet. The six songs included on this EP are a combination of reworked originals and newer compositions, and each track excels beautifully. Economically,
Oh My will not cost you one cent, and it would be frighteningly idiotic of you not to download this record immediately. Allow me to convince you...
To put Sean Fournier into a genre (or subgenre) is certainly no challenging task -- with sugary melodies and jaunty chord patterns, Fournier's voice dips and dives out of playful lyrics that do not hesitate to remind you of industry giants Matt Costa and Jack Johnson. However familiar the music may sound, even through the occasional digital altering of Fournier's voice,
Oh My feels more organic and honest than even the sincerest of Johnson's tunes. With songs like the comfortably poppy
Broken Stereo, or the equally engaging love-balled of
Another Like You, uncommon instrumentation bleed over sportive piano progressions and almost-bluesy acoustic guitars. Through the eclectic use of bizarre loops, the occasional electronic drum, and often, what sounds like a clavichord, Fournier constructs a facetious musical catalog that keeps the listener engaged with it's unpredictable mannerisms.
The musical experimentation on
Oh My is most obviously characterized by the record's two strongest tracks,
Goodbye and
Holding the Hand of the Hurricane, which scroll through intoxicating melodies and galvanized electronic drums. Through a surprisingly un-annoying use of the infamous Auto-Tune, both songs manage to communicate originality and lyrical ingenuity while effectively employing foreign percussion and harmonies. The latter of these two songs presents a very exotic sounding backdrop, partnering Fournier's smooth tenor voice with flutes, bongos and nonnative background vocals, creating one of those most creative and enchanting songs in music today.
In a more familiar fashion, Fournier functions just as well in indie-pop, such as the opener
Broken Stereo, which originally appeared late in his sophomore release
Paper Tiger. With kittenish lyrics (
If your life was a broken stereo, well, I'd be music to your ears) and casual vocals, it is songs like this that are obnoxious and harrowing to a saddened soul, but the absolute perfect song for somebody in a light mood -- and there lies the essence of
Oh My: it's bouncy, it's playful, it's cheerful and if that's not your cup of coffee, than you shouldn't be having caffeine anyways. Besides, the combination of caffeine and Sean Fournier results in a dangerous amount of giddiness, and it probably shouldn't be attempted in the first place.
In conclusion, there isn't a fault on this record (okay, maybe the occasional AutoTune is irking), and as long as it's costing you nothing at all, there is absolutely no reason why it shouldn't be nestling up in your cozy hard drive. I promise, you won't be disappointed -- or
your money back. Get it? I know. Hilarious.
But seriously, check it out. Link in the first comment.
