by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
With Sunwatchers, Jeff Tobias and co. are able to say a whole lot without actually saying anything at all. So the fact that Tobias’ debut solo album, Recurring Dream, is built on lyrical songs makes a significant impact. The record (which he’s since followed-up with Just What I Feel, a solo sax album), takes a different approach to psych and experimental music than any of the many projects Tobias finds himself a part of (Modern Nature, Brigid Dawson and The Mothers Network, etc), opting for a synthetic atmosphere, one built on lush keys, sax, clarinet, bass, drums (both live and programmed), and beyond. The songs have a dreamy sort of retro fluorescence to them, that neon tinged glow accenting his space-age pop as he wanders a landscape of “money poisoning,” fascism, and suicidal thoughts. For all the grim subject matter, Tobias’ album feels like a beacon of hope being sent from the future back to us, a light coming from the end of the tunnel.
"Self-Portrait In A Convex Mirror,” one the album’s many highlights, is a radiant ballad, with augmented synths really setting a stunning foundation before the rhythm arrives, snapped into place with a steady beat and syrupy groove. The song appears to be an ode to knowing things are wrong and aimlessly pushing forward without enacting any real change. The instrumental is brilliant, mixing between new wave pop and a sort of easy-going prog. The video, directed by Tobias with the help of Becky Lovell (editor/animator), Peter Kerlin (editor/director of cinematography), Ian Douglas-Moore, Jason Robira, Joe White (production assistants), and Grant Stewart (technical support), opens like Tobias’ one-man show, with the stage set for him to approach the mic. Before long however, things seem to change, as we’re sucked into the TV’s glow, transported between images, only to be brought back to the theater. There’s a great sense of surrealism going on even within the performance shots, offering another twist on a tune that’s already tightly coiled. There’s autoharp. There’s fireworks. You can’t miss it.