While not having strayed too far from their roots, The Paper Kites have managed to change things up slightly on their latest, On the Corner Where You Live. The New York-born and recorded album sees the five-piece folk-indie-rock band delve deep into almost ‘80s rock territory. A risk? Certainly. One that was worth it? Who knows?
‘A Gathering on 57th’ is a warm, jazzed-up instrumental piece. While it sits at a mere one minute and 31 seconds, it sets the tone for the rest of the record. ‘Give Me Your Fire, Give Me Your Rain’ sounds like an interpolation of Fleetwood Mac into The War on Drugs. The vocals of Sam Bentley combined with those of Christina Lacy, and the reverberated drumming of Josh Bentley stand out though., as the Kites are no ‘80s copycat.
‘Flashes’ is a beautiful acoustic-turned-electric harmonious track, one of the only real moments of down-time on the release.
Dave Powys’ prodigious guitar work is one pivotal feature on this record, and tracks like ‘Don’t Keep Driving’ exemplify this.
On The Corner Where You Live is a beautiful piece in a beautiful puzzle that The Paper Kites have made their own.
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