Jerry Chen, the man behind The Televangelist and the Architect, has come up with another mostly winning record that helps cement his place as one of the oddest and most underappreciated songsmiths in town. Each of his records has had a different feel from the others; this one draws its inspiration from film, starting with the music itself and working its way down to every inch of the packaging, which is designed to look like a movie poster and a screen play. This album features an emphasis on strings and piano, which gives the music a more grandiose feel than Chen’s previous work. There are times when it’s a little too over-the-top, but at its best, the record sounds like something a more fucked-up Bright Eyes or Cursive would make if they didn’t care at all about attracting sensitive girls.
- Kevin Finn