Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
2013's buzzworthy Bent Nail EP introduced savvy listeners to Palehound, the musical vehicle of singer/songwriter El Kempner. Wry dissections of youthful isolation like "Drooler" and "Pet Carrot" revealed an emerging artist with a compelling voice and an infatuation with '90s indie rock. Two years later, Kempner offers up Dry Food, Palehound's debut full-length on Brooklyn indie Exploding in Sound. Working again with producers and Ava Luna members Julian Fader and Carlos Hernandez, they strike a balance between spiky-riffed fuzz-rockers like "Molly" and "Cushioned Caging," and more cleverly built acoustic fare like "Healthier Folk" and "Dixie." The album's dryly textured production borders on lo-fi, but while some indie acts use that as a crutch to disguise subpar material, in Kempner's case it increases the intimacy of their songs in an appealing way. Churning slowly forward over a canned drumbeat, the title cut flows with an attractive half-asleep softness as Kempner tumbles through strange, lonesome verses about fattening up a consolation pet with "dry food, rice, and beans" before intoning "you made beauty a monster to me." Their skill as a wordsmith is a great part of their appeal and they have a knack for mixing vulnerability and abstraction that pairs well with the detached '90s alt-rock style they favor. There's a meandering quality to their song construction and they speed and slow tempos, introducing odd little parts that might happen only once, like in the ambitious final minute of "Easy." Even when tackling what at first seems like more straightforward indie pop on "Cinnamon," Kempner suddenly changes time signatures and introduces subtle psychedelic elements that keep everything slightly off-kilter. Dry Food is a beguiling debut with a great many more layers and vision than its outwardly casual appearance would suggest.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Palehound, Composer, MainArtist - Exploding in Sound Records, MusicPublisher
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Album review
2013's buzzworthy Bent Nail EP introduced savvy listeners to Palehound, the musical vehicle of singer/songwriter El Kempner. Wry dissections of youthful isolation like "Drooler" and "Pet Carrot" revealed an emerging artist with a compelling voice and an infatuation with '90s indie rock. Two years later, Kempner offers up Dry Food, Palehound's debut full-length on Brooklyn indie Exploding in Sound. Working again with producers and Ava Luna members Julian Fader and Carlos Hernandez, they strike a balance between spiky-riffed fuzz-rockers like "Molly" and "Cushioned Caging," and more cleverly built acoustic fare like "Healthier Folk" and "Dixie." The album's dryly textured production borders on lo-fi, but while some indie acts use that as a crutch to disguise subpar material, in Kempner's case it increases the intimacy of their songs in an appealing way. Churning slowly forward over a canned drumbeat, the title cut flows with an attractive half-asleep softness as Kempner tumbles through strange, lonesome verses about fattening up a consolation pet with "dry food, rice, and beans" before intoning "you made beauty a monster to me." Their skill as a wordsmith is a great part of their appeal and they have a knack for mixing vulnerability and abstraction that pairs well with the detached '90s alt-rock style they favor. There's a meandering quality to their song construction and they speed and slow tempos, introducing odd little parts that might happen only once, like in the ambitious final minute of "Easy." Even when tackling what at first seems like more straightforward indie pop on "Cinnamon," Kempner suddenly changes time signatures and introduces subtle psychedelic elements that keep everything slightly off-kilter. Dry Food is a beguiling debut with a great many more layers and vision than its outwardly casual appearance would suggest.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 8 track(s)
- Total length: 00:28:34
- Main artists: Palehound
- Composer: Palehound
- Label: Exploding In Sound Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2015 Exploding In Sound Records 2015 Exploding In Sound Records
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.