by Jonathan Bannister (@j_utah)
Disposable America has had a strong 2016 with the releases of Horse Jumper of Love’s self-titled album and Soft Fangs' The Light (co-released with Exploding in Sound), and they look to continue the trend with the release of We Both Became the Sky by Saccharine. Saccharine is the work of Kevin King, who you might know from his previous band Maura, and is grade A bedroom folk pop. Don’t mistake that for a lo-fi feel. It was recorded in Soft Fangs’ John Lutkevich’s childhood attic, which apparently has killer acoustics, because the record sounds great. It’s warm and cozy like a conversation by a fire on a winter night. An album that sounds like its cover. One that sounds wonderful on headphones.
While the album has a band type feel with drums, piano, and even some electric guitar, the highlights are definitely King’s voice, which brings to mind Ben Gibbard or Jason Lyttle, paired with his acoustic guitar. The first half of the album has a daytime feel to it while the back half finds day giving way to night. Title track "We Both Became the Sky" shares a similar vibe to Death Cab for Cutie’s "Steadier Footing". There’s a quiet, haunted beauty to it. "Crooked Cross" is another stand out song which has just King and his guitar, with maybe a touch of defiance in his voice, wondering if this is it to life. “I deserve more” he concludes.
We Both Became The Sky will be released tomorrow, Friday, May 20th, 2016 digitally and on cassette, but you can listen to the album in full right now below. Be a true believer and pick up the album here and if you’re in the Boston area catch the release show Friday, May 27th with Three Man Cannon, the Heavies, and Beached Boy at The Vault.