Review: Earlimart's Mentor Tormentor

Earlimart's new album Mentor Tormentor has the privledge of being the first of my musical discussion here.  Like another one of my recent favorites, Stars of Track and Field, I discovered Earlimart through KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.  I think it was actually my sister Lauren who initially introduced me to this fantabulous radio show and podcast. 

Mentor Tormentor has a unifying feel throughout the album, which I can almost best describe as a sort of constant energy level.  Certainly the songs rise & fall, but their is a continuous feel from the first song to the last song - when intentional (which I believe it is here), this is a sign of a great producer and great mastering work. 

The instrumentation is deceptively deep - only upon repeated listens do you pick up on all the various melodies and counter-melodies being played in the background.  Lots of solid guitar & piano work, and two vocalists who back each other up in a fashion not often seen since the rock n' roll of the '60s. 

Standout tracks for me include Happy Alone, as I am always a sucker for a female-voiced mid-tempo rock song, and Gonna Break Into Your Heart - with it's clever arrangement, and poppy chorus.