Familial

"As I gave into temptation"

Alright, alright, this music is trying to bog me down, but I'm not going to let it!  Time to write a review!  With his debut solo album, Philip Selway (better known as drummer for Radiohead) manages to venture into a completely new world, transitioning from drummer to guitarist singer-songwriter.  When I first picked up Selway's debut solo album, "Familial," I was a little hesitant.  Now, maybe I put too much emphasis on cover art, but that family in the picture looks creepy as hell, so I was hoping the music wasn't gross like their faces.  Ehem... Suffice to say that when I played the album, I was pleasantly surprised.  Selway's opening track, "By Some Miracle," starts off with a whispering beat count and a slow steady combination of simple guitar lines, soft vocals, and a plethora of hushing percussion.  The resulting feel is incredibly relaxing, yet for some reason has a tinge of darkness interwoven.  Selway's overall sound is like a less subdued version of Iron & Wine, yet his guitar styling is similar to that of Rob Blackledge, a guitarist singer-songwriter who emphasizes sliding and hitting the body of his guitar.

My favorite track of the entire album follows immediately after, "Beyond Reason."  The track has a sort of tribal drumming layered beneath Selway's eerie lyrics which shift to a slightly higher octave for this song.  Coupled with clapping and synthesized humming, the atmosphere is calming, yet unsettling at the same time as Selway sings of dealing with anxiety and frustration with lyrics such as "You're out of your mind, fuses are blown, you're not receiving/... Go and find a place to let it all out/  Count from one to ten, start over again."  Selway manages to incorporate other musical sounds across his album, such as a jazzy feel in the beginning of "The Ties That Bind Us," a more folk sound from "A Simple Life," and a lyrical feel from the concluding song of the album, "The Witching Hour."

Overall, Selway's album is an impressive product given his musical roots from Radiohead.  The direction he takes, while not entirely void of influence from Radiohead, manages to separate itself enough that a shining solo career isn't out of the question for Selway.  The guitar segments of every track sound polished and incredibly natural given his playing style.  Selway's voice is soft and relaxing, much like that of Samuel Beam from Iron & Wine, yet still manages to have a bold presence.  I would definitely check out Selway's album "Familial" if you're a fan of Radiohead.  While it shouldn't be considered a Radiohead side project, it's still an interesting, relaxing side-venture that manages to strengthen Selway's footprint on the musical world as a complete, individual, creative artist.  Take a listen here.