Airs of the Ear

by Todd KristelAirs of the Ear could have been an annoyingly precious or boring album if Richard Youngs didn't manage to get it just right. The vocals are breathy and mournful; the fingerpicked guitar lines provide a minimal, repetitive framework for the songs; the sound effects tend to be discordant and spacey (as you might expect from someone who uses ring modulation, square wave and theremin); and the album contains only five songs, including one that lasts over 17 minutes. But the psychedelic folk tunes are suitably pretty, the repetition seems deliberately trancelike instead of self-indulgently aimless, and Young knows how to overdub guitars and work with effects to cultivate the desired mood. Granted, there is still a chance that you may feel sleepy by the time "Machaut's Dream" finishes. But if you're a fan of Young's previous work or are interested in intimate, folk-inspired experimental rock, then you may find this album captivating.