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2.2 Kidlife:
Villains
Continuing the tradition of talented one-man bands, Frank Longano of Cleveland has created his second release as 2.2 Kid Life. Villains is a solid production well-crafted and consistent. It isnt novel, but that hardly seems to be Mr. Longanos intention. 2.2 Kid Life plays sleepy blue indie pop, replete with occasional ethereal background vocals, electronic programming, string sections, and careful guitar fretwork. At ten songs, this fairly concise album begins and concludes softly, though the last three tracks are weak. Though Villains is consistently soft, its that rare indie album with real song structure, recorded in hand-polished lo-fi. Radiopaque and How I Saved Western Culture, the first and sixth tracks, use almost the same chord progression as a frame, dividing the album in equal halves. Mr. Longano whispers and growls like hes trying not to wake the neighbors (indeed, the soft feel of Villains is more likely to facilitate somnolence), but hes a professional with his instruments and mixing. An unnamed female, who gains confidence as she progresses, sings with Longano on Our Bones and Soft Spots, one of several breakup/lost love songs. The rest of the album continues in the softly broken-hearted vein. Sometimes the lyrics are nearly indistinguishable, his voice almost subsumed within the arrangements. Villains is a pleasant combination of gentle music, understated singing and modest delivery. The muffled drums, layers of sound, and slower time signatures result in an album that would be easy to place in the background. The tracks are produced with a fine ear for playing and mixing, and no ugly surprises lurk toward the conclusion. It may be part of that special class of new music: Pure Moods for the indie listener. It is not pioneering, heart-rending, or even particularly notable; most of the songs sound similar. But at least 2.2 Kid Life took the time to craft real melodies and arrangements, and the resultant album is a soporific evening companion.
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