The fact that Th' Faith Healers were originally picked up by the spacy English label Too Pure is certainly significant -- their music, while seemingly in line with indie-rock conventions, has so many elements of noise and drone in it that it appears to have crossed over to listeners of more spacy, organ-driven music. Imaginary Friend manages to satisfy all of these different interests, floating back and forth between soupy waves of distorted guitars and clean, ringing, indie-rock tones. The real thrill of the band's songwriting lies in the way surprising pop moments can emerge from the mess of sound.
Experiencing the Michigan band's sophomore album could be compared to looking through an old forgotten box of letters and pictures on a rainy day: Memories and hopes that are simultaneously beautiful and frail soak through the skin as the LP unfolds. Stand-up bass and violin give the group's deconstructed, would-be jangle-rock the timeless feel of a black-and-white photograph, while understated guitar and vocals cut through to the heart of the matter. Computerized loops and samples add a grainy, hazy texture to the mix as voices, sounds, and thoughts collide, making everyone and everything feel near and far away at once.
__medium.jpg)
__medium.jpg)
