Engine of Paradise

Album review

Adam Green, last anti-folk bard standing ? Barely a month after David Berman’s death, the ex-Moldy Peaches is out with Engine of Paradise, which is more than a music release. The nine tracks were recorded in Loren Humphrey (Florence & The Machine)’s studio, which is a replica of the studio where Gainsbourg recorded Melody Nelson in 1971. In addition to the album, a graphic novel titled War and Paradise adds another facet to the listening experience. The combination of mediums shouldn’t come as a surprise –  after all, Green has been leading a very successful career as a visual artist, a cinematographer (The Wrong Ferrari, 2010 ; Aladdin, 2016), a painter and a sculptor for over fifteen years; his work has been exposed in presitigious museums across the world. Engine of Paradise toes the line between musical rêveries and stark, depressing tales of loneliness, about technology, old age and love turned sour. Green is far from being as pessimist as the deceased leader of the Silver Jews, but he certainly shares a similarly biting and cynical perspective, sung in a deadpan bartone voice. Equally of note is the participation of multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Rado (Foxygen) on Let’s Get Moving as well as Florence Welch (Florence & The Machine) on Reasonable Man. Special guests which are nonetheless very discreet.  © Alexis Renaudat/Qobuz