Thursday, December 20, 2012

7) http://www.itstartshear.com - Peter Broderick (TOP 20 OF 2012)











Peter Broderick
Hush Records.


I was the first to admit it: SCQ’s enthusiastic review of this little website record had some harsh words for Mr. Broderick. In the face of such a richly enveloping record, how does one respond to blunt exposition of all of the record’s mysteries, stubbornly tied to a personality seeking attention?

As it happens, in the same way we overlook the record’s occasional misstep in favour of a glowing majority. http://www.itstartshear.com is for the most part a riveting, emotional showcase of a talented songwriter, arranger and producer, culminating to great effect on “A Tribute To Our Letter Writing Days”, “Everything I Know” and “Blue”. Broderick sometimes risks missing the mark (overreaching completely only once, on the uneven, overlong “Bad Words”) but what would become of the album’s many highlights had Broderick not gone fully after his muse? While frustratingly close to a masterpiece, this earlier of two 2012 LPs deserves a trying devotion.


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