Album Review: Grouper - The Man Who Died In His Boat

Since her 2008 release, Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, Grouper has been known for her spiritual, droning, soft melodies with sort of haunting vocals which results in songs that really resonate, feel mysterious, and  evoke emotions. Her last release did just that. For The Man Who Died in His Boat Grouper takes the folk elements from 2008 and the electronic elements from the 2011 double album (a1a), giving songs that orbit around slow, fuzzy guitar strums accompanied with soft vocals by Liz Harris (Grouper's sole member) as well as some synth ambient noises in the background. The results being feelings of loneliness and of mystery and curiosity; feelings perfectly fitted for a rainy/snowy afternoon. This blending of sounds is very easily recognizable in songs like "Differences" where the song starts out with very hazy guitar playing with prominent reverb and echoes quickly followed by ghostly vocals which throws a kind of sound-net at you. Although this release is arguably her most melodious and diverges a bit from her usual work, Grouper stays true to her music and delivers an enjoyable album to listen to. 8/10

Favorite Tracks: Vital, Being her shadow, Differences, The Man who Died in his Boat