Review Summary: summery snug dreamfolk for you!
As someone with no knowledge of Owen’s storied discography nor nostalgia for Mike Kinsella’s flagship project American Football, I can say without bias that
The Falls of Sioux is a lovely little indie folk album. Most cuts might seem foreign to anyone familiar only with his early emo days, but the cinematic production and chiming guitars feel like a natural extension of Kinsella’s work on
LP3. The western guitars and high-noon bells of opener “A Reckoning” belie the song’s grizzled brand of Americana, while “Beaucoup”’s subtle guitar antics never threaten to overshadow the surprising potency of Kinsella’s heartfelt “coup”-ing (one rare moment where his vocals steal the spotlight from these layered soundscapes).
Yet the remaining album is more boilerplate indie folk than we’re led to believe. “Virtue Misspent” especially will draw ire from those sick of the post-
Punisher state of folk; the tune plays as if he’s breathlessly trying to catch up with pop culture before a truly head-scratching spoken word feature derails its would-be crescendo. Thankfully, this is the only proper miss, and nearly every other song has its charms—S. Carey's clattering percussion on “Mount Cleverest,” “Hit and Run”’s delicate mix of strings and plucked guitars. Even better, “With You Without You” ties all these dream-folky sonic whims into a resplendent finale packed with crystalline guitars guided by a steady, pounding pulse.
Anyone enamored by American Football’s late-career swerve into dream pop will find some jewels well worth digging for, and at 40 minutes, the album is perfectly sized for anyone looking for diversion in its cozy sound.
