I am Stramgram - When the Noise Becomes too Loud
In praise of the mute
What to do when the noise becomes too loud, when agitation invades space and makes us suffocate?
Although he announced a more electro second album, almost completely dropping guitars in aid of kludge with machines and synths, I am Stramgram, first name Vincent, doesn’t for all that fall into big fat sound or big beats in fashion. On the contrary, he goes for sensitive ground. Thom Yorke’s roaming and it’s certainly not by accident. Particularly in 2 pieces: "Make it to the Moon", with its humming glissando, in the style of "For 12" from Other Lives, and "Wind-up Toy", perfect ending song, just blasé and sophisticated enough, with a refined and expressive voice and good stereo.
The day that the idiots will listen to intelligent music, something will happen. The lyrics, 94% in English, are intelligent too; I even had to search in the dictionary a few words I didn’t know. You’ll find, here and there, longing to live on the moon, a certain form of giving up and of hypochondria ("It's all Turning Grey"), loss of a childhood friend in a road accident ("Wooden Gun"), desire of return to the fish state, in the cradle of humanity ("A Million Years") – and ad hoc video.
When the Noise Becomes too Loud won’t be blindingly obvious. It’s more likely this kind of albums that must be earned, that you have to tame progressively. As the only genuine immediate pop song, "It's all Turning Grey" should work as it ought.
Right away followed by slow waltz "We Came Home so Late", which could very well become an unlikely hit, like many others before. If a few radios only had the good idea to regularly broadcast this inescapable chorus...
Otherwise... otherwise... too bad, but we’ll remain the happy few who’ll take great delight in it. Including live, when this track will surely offer a graced moment. In the same vein, "Wooden Gun", white and sublime, with its genius arpeggio, and already integrated in the setlists of the French since 2 years, sees the light of day on record at last.
It leaves you speechless and elsewhere, miles away in your daydreams... Rid of too loud noise and of space invading agitation.
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There is much slowness, much languor, even much torpor, in this 43-minute album. Without the tracks being long for all that – only "Wooden Gun" and "Wind-up Toy" last a bit more than 4 minutes –, you may have the impression of champing at the bit sometimes. Especially with the chain of tracks 3 to 6 ("Shattered Ground" / "Noyé" / "Make it to the Moon" / "Lungs"). A semi-lethargy which makes you appreciate the coming of the mid-tempo "Stories to Tell" like a madly rousing track (!)
The point is that the young man may be more talented for the slow tempos, the blubbering folk pieces, as he likes to say.
Yet on stage he is able of a stunning rock metamorphosis. I saw it with my own eyes… and with my own ears.
This versatility should bring him a future as bright as that! -
Wooden Gun
Wind-up Toy
We Came Home so Late -
Noyé
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The sentence
“And they whisper too loud” ("Wind-up Toy")
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himiamstramgram.com (209 Hits)
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...And now, listen!
- iamstramgram.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-noise-becomes-too-loud (195 Hits)
- soundcloud.com/iamstramgram/sets/when-the-noise-becomes-too (217 Hits)
- www.deezer.com/en/album/144682772 (306 Hits)
- open.spotify.com/album/4AwKopgsghkgJJOP9hIQQF (205 Hits)
- www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n2EM8-ymtJSMwQvasG0rePDHfqZ3OH6CA (225 Hits)
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Created20 October 2020
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