RICHIE. QUAKE makes music that you'd have a hard time putting into a box, but just about the easiest time listening to. Sometimes you're listening to sounds that border on country, for example, but right before the band makes the jump into one particular genre, they pull back, seemingly content to confuse and amaze us with their brazen lack of commitment to a particular sonic discipline. The initiating effort on VISIONS is a beautiful piece of piano ballad-infused hip-hop/ jazz (you'll have to pardon the discriptors; there's really no eloquent way to put it) but by the time you've progressed about half way through the album, you've arrived at something else entirely. This isn't pop music, but there is something to be said for the way it feels so effortless to listen to. Yeah, there may not be any bouncy hooks or big sweeping choruses, but the sheer quality of this album really does lend itself to a relaxed and enjoyable listening experience. In cases like this, it's always preferable to block of a bit of time, and just enjoy the work from beginning to end, but if you're just looking to get your feet wet, check out "Visions", "Ruby", or pretty much any other song (yeah, they're all that good). You can catch our highlights below, or just head on over to his Bandcamp page to hear the rest of the album.
R I C H I E . Q U A K E