Verbs

Core Au member Luke Wyland continues on Verbs to blend the boundaries between contemporary classical music, various strains of folk, and the common architecture of the pop song. (Oh, and there’s a small dose of psychedelia mixed in for good measure.) Verbs starts off with a 20-voice chorus, reaching for high places in a shambling timbre, droning “All my friends...” while pianos rumble, cymbals jitter and other instruments stretch out in the background like an orchestra warming up; the song abruptly ends, and the voices shift into a loose summer-day sing-along on “Are Animals,” resulting in a mild cacophony, with clattering drumsticks and percussion chirping like a bird about to take flight. These tracks set the tone, introducing a large number of contributing musicians (most from the Portland, OR music scene) creating a rich tapestry of sound that feels organic and natural (folk), well orchestrated (classical) and playful (pop). “rr Vs. D” exemplifies Au’s skillful tidiness, cleverly rolling two songs into one for major bang: Is it a marching tune or a pop song? Do we care?