Review Summary: Careful's "Because I Am Always Talking" is the quintessential bedroom record that should be topping all of our album of the year lists.
3 of 3 thought this review was well written“I didn’t really think about the time I’d spend away from being human/
I didn’t really think about the chance of living somewhere past my teens.”
Upon hearing these lines before the final verse in “Because”, I immediately knew that within the half-hour I would have fallen in love with this record. As subtly spoken as they are, they jumped out to me as something I could relate to my own isolation and inability to see a future for myself. This was not an experience that ended here, but one that continued throughout the record. I believe this is what Careful is about; making emotional and relatable music while also retaining Eric Lindley’s own personal statements.
From a musical standpoint, the album is a folk record at its core, with a lot of electronic influence that envelop the atmosphere of most of the record. It’s not as prominent or explosive as Sufjan Stevens’ “The Age of Adz” and its much more subtle than the similar lo-fi elements on John Frusciante’s “To Record Only Water for Ten Days”. Its a much more polished and refined sound that remains consistent with Careful’s past albums and that is not a bad thing. All of his previous works have been building up to this, and it finally comes full circle on this record.
Careful’s “Because I Am Always Talking” is the quintessential bedroom record; a simple, yet fantastic journey that will provoke sadness and joy from its listeners, sometimes at the same time. Unfortunately, it’s also been completely overlooked, gaining very little attention from critics. Considering the emotional depth and quality of the music, it really is a shame.
