As humans drift aimlessly on this astral plane we call earth, we find ourselves attempting to swim against the shifting tides of the crystallised sea of colours that is music. This feat is found, by most, to be desperate at best and hopeless at its most dire. Most will choose just to continue to drift in ease while others choose to swim forth. To go against the currents in this sea that are trends, expectations and limitations can be one of the most creatively rewarding experiences possible. Erik Parker & the Chapters however, seem to swim a graceful breaststroke with ease in their twisted new single, Painting Colours on the Characters.
The new single from Erik Parker & The Chapters stir together a bubbling hot pot of musical flavours in their new single, Painting Colours on the Characters.
Frankly, commercial music is a well known package of stale, bland crackers which improve little in flavour regardless of the amount of sonic cheese you spread on them. Genres have come and gone as have their heroes and flag bearers leaving in their wake, more often than not, imitators and wannabes, scratching hopelessly for the last scrap of what once was golden. Rewind through decades and the patterns ring true, to the Beatles, there were the Monkees, to Dylan, countless imitators but scarce peers.
Many music enthusiasts rest on their laurels in the belief that those days of originators and innovators are no more in music yet you need only to scratch the surface to see how wrong these naysayers are. Innovation is alive and well in music and you’ll hear it blossoming in all it’s colours on Erik’s new track. While decades of inspiration are heard in Painting Colours on the Characters, an imitation, it is not. The single is a perfect example of what can happen when an artist strikes the perfect balance between inspiration and self creation.
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Reggae rhythms on grunting guitars set the tone for the piece that unfolds before you like an ancient text, filled with masterful poetry. The track soon evolves into dirty prog riffage, reminiscent of early, fuzzed out Pink Floyd or Dead Meadow. Flying sax licks kiss your ears gently whilst pounding drums crash blissfully into your consciousness.
Lyrically, the track shows itself as a mature offering from an artist with a well thought out message and an unmistakable musical identity. For those who seek relief from the monotonous day to day of FM radio and mainstream chart toppers, this one’s for you. Painting Colours on the Characters is an uninhibited, tuneful, trance-like, funky and musically wholesome tidal wave washing blissfully over those who know what’s good for them. The track solidifies the elusive band as ones to watch and gawk at in amazement with future releases.
Erik Parker and the Chapters are set to play at Bar Open in Melbourne on Saturday the 6th of Feb to launch this succulent musical feast.
