ADAM GREEN AND BINKI SHAPIRO

ADAM GREEN AND BINKI SHAPIRO 

Rounder/Decca

14/20

Joining forces to create something rather strange and beautiful are Adam Green, one half of The Moldy Peaches, and the sublimely talented Binki Shapiro of Little Joy, who’ve release a self-titled album that’s warm and inviting, imbued with a lovely 60s lo-fi Americana feel. There’s something refreshingly different about this particular duo. Green’s dry yet humorous New Yorker delivery melds with Shapiro’s sweet tones across an array of witty tales of dysfunctional romance, giving each ditty character and a narrative quality. Standout tracks such as What’s the Reward and Just To Make You Feel Good are blink-and-you’ll-miss-them folk-tinged pop gems which instantly seep into your system. Instrumental arrangements are lovingly pored-over, at turns ambitious and endearingly simple. Closer Nighttime Stopped Bleeding, however, stands out as truly bold and gripping piece of music, as the duo muse upon a lover’s passionate expression of grief. What these two present is a sparkling musical chemistry that we can be very grateful never went untapped, forging an album which will appeal equally to fans of Leonard Cohen and Pavement.

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Words: Bee Adamic