John Vanderslice – ‘Pixel Revolt’

John Vanderslice might not be a familiar name to many, but with a listen to Vanderslice’s new album “Pixel Revolt” you might just want to add him to your Myspace friend’s list.

Vanderslice definitely isn’t new to the music game. “Pixel Revolt” is actually his fifth solo album, and possibly his best yet. Vanderslice has a gift for writing music. Each of the 14 tracks on “Pixel Revolt” is its own short story. The songs go through many emotions as he tells the stories of different characters going through times of death, sadness, remorse and confusion.

One of the best things about the album is the emotion shown through Vanderslice’s vocals. When he sings, you know exactly what the character in the song is going through. He creates a scene that makes it more like you are being read a book than listening to an album.

The music backing Vanderslice’s strong vocal performance adds a very unique touch to the album. With instruments including a cello, boxharp, wurlitzer, vibraphone, timpani and a glockenspiel “Pixel Revolt” delivers a sound that is unlike any other.

R.I.Y.L.: Decemberists, Elliott Smith, and Jeff Mangum