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Sam Prekop, "Who's Your New Professor"
If the truest goal of any one artist is to have as much completecontrol and freedom over their art as possible, it would seem this Seaand Cake frontman is as close as it gets, and the results are nothingshort of inspirational. If Sam Prekop's total artisticvision—writer/arranger/musician/singer and artwork painter—was ajoyride on his debut solo album, this time he's apt to changeperceptions and set the whole image on its side, making the wholelistening audience second guess every move.Thrill Jockey
The same musicians whoworked on the debut return, but with a completely new captain at thehelm, as Prekop creates a truly original work with shifting stylesmid-song, laid-back rhythms, and super smooth accents that surprise asmuch as or more than they entertain. These songs are not completelydifferent from what he has done before, but merely the logical nextstep and expansion of what he does best. The album's fourth track"Dedications" starts out like a lost Motown groove hit of the 1970suntil his voice and bright playful guitar come in. Next it's asingalong on the choruses, where universal feelings touch a chord thatall can appreciate, double-tracked vocals matched with the rightharmonies. Then, almost imperceptibly, at the end of the song, a blendof synthesizers appear from out of nowhere to close out the track in anigh-drone that instead tickles the cerebral cortex. One song, unlikeall the others but that still fits, as every track fills the formula bynot being like the last. Instruments come in and out, tempos change,and the whole sonic color wheel might be askew from before but it'salright: Prekop never treats the song like a mistress, using thetechnique and casting it aside. Every tone, every word, every note,every beat is a faithful lover, just with different back stories. "ASplendid Hollow" builds to a gorgeous climax from a quiet beginning; "C+ F" is pure pop with handclaps and thudding bass; and "Density" isalmost hip-hop, but done with pure lounge grooves instead of big beatdrums and processed bass notes, with the always welcome addition of RobMazurek. Some of the songs don't hit right the first time through, butthat's mainly because the intricacies of the arrangements are notimmediately apparent. This is becoming Prekop's strongest suit, and thelack of a question mark on the album's title is a sly wink, as well.It's a statement, as in "Sam Prekop is your new professor," and classis in session.
The same musicians whoworked on the debut return, but with a completely new captain at thehelm, as Prekop creates a truly original work with shifting stylesmid-song, laid-back rhythms, and super smooth accents that surprise asmuch as or more than they entertain. These songs are not completelydifferent from what he has done before, but merely the logical nextstep and expansion of what he does best. The album's fourth track"Dedications" starts out like a lost Motown groove hit of the 1970suntil his voice and bright playful guitar come in. Next it's asingalong on the choruses, where universal feelings touch a chord thatall can appreciate, double-tracked vocals matched with the rightharmonies. Then, almost imperceptibly, at the end of the song, a blendof synthesizers appear from out of nowhere to close out the track in anigh-drone that instead tickles the cerebral cortex. One song, unlikeall the others but that still fits, as every track fills the formula bynot being like the last. Instruments come in and out, tempos change,and the whole sonic color wheel might be askew from before but it'salright: Prekop never treats the song like a mistress, using thetechnique and casting it aside. Every tone, every word, every note,every beat is a faithful lover, just with different back stories. "ASplendid Hollow" builds to a gorgeous climax from a quiet beginning; "C+ F" is pure pop with handclaps and thudding bass; and "Density" isalmost hip-hop, but done with pure lounge grooves instead of big beatdrums and processed bass notes, with the always welcome addition of RobMazurek. Some of the songs don't hit right the first time through, butthat's mainly because the intricacies of the arrangements are notimmediately apparent. This is becoming Prekop's strongest suit, and thelack of a question mark on the album's title is a sly wink, as well.It's a statement, as in "Sam Prekop is your new professor," and classis in session.samples:
