Shadow Expert

Album review

Shadow Expert is the Carpark Records debut of Palm, who formed in the early 2010s and formulated their own warped take on math rock. That take is full of what sound like contradictions: a lack of recognizable song structure that is nevertheless followed with precision, a loose performance demeanor that's still notably exacting, and songs built from a relentless four-part counterpoint that they often make sound breezy. The quartet is led by guitarists Eve Alpert and Kasra Kurt, who also act as co-vocalists. Drummer Hugo Stanley should not be overlooked, however, nor should bassist Gerasimos Livitanos; there's no room for slacking here. One example of their making it all go down easy, though, is the title track. It has a gossamer vocal melody that floats over tighter, syncopated polyrhythms, some of which are also melodic in nature. They challenge listeners from the beginning, introducing dissonance and tempo and time-signature shifts in the intro to track one, "Walkie Talkie." Relaxed vocal lines and repeated guitar (and at times vocal) hooks go a long way in bringing an ease to the erratic. Stanley also has a knack for knowing when to dig in and when to lay off, often within the span of a measure. It's a tastefulness that values musicality over technical ability and helps set Palm apart from much of the math crowd. So, too, do offbeat touches, from wood block (jam block) to spacy sound effects ("Two Toes"). As a six-song EP with no track over three and a half minutes -- a length ideal for the dense framework of their songs -- Shadow Expert serves as a promising sampler for a band that seems to be onto something.

© Marcy Donelson /TiVo