Chad VanGaalen - Skelliconnection (Sub Pop)

A mixture of mellow acoustic and electronic funk rock, Chad Vangaalen’s Skelliconnection seems to have just the right combination. Considering he is an artist who records a majority of his songs within in his own basement, the variety contained in this album is impressive. VanGaalen cannot really be noted for any sort of inspiring lyrics; at times it’s even humorous and really can be left up to wacky personal self-interpretation. His voice is reminiscent of Chris Martin’s, but give it more edge and take out the whiny quality. This makes VanGaalen’s more mellower songs like “Sing Me to Sleep” and “Graveyard” as great head bobbing, sway side to side, and sit around the camp fire music. Then jump to the faster tracks like, “Flower Gardens” and “Viking Rainbows” that possess eclectic beats, synths, drums, and clinks of what sounds like pebble in glass that makes for superb spastic dance music. The inconsistency, which is that of Skelliconnection, provides a mishmash of musical entertainment for anyone looking for whimsical good times.

– Christine Jan