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The Wallscenery Demos

The Wallscenery Demos

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Review Date: 2008-06-20

The Wallscenery Demos is the brainchild of James Hicken(formerly of Battery Point and The Little Children), a Charlottetown musician who made his way to Toronto in 2000. The album is a minimalist exploration of indie folk, pop and soundscapes. Complete with a Bill Cosby sample along for the ride. 

 Honestly, I didn’t like it my first time through. I tossed it on while puttering around my apartment and it came and went without raising a single eyebrow. I was ready to write it off, but then decided to try it again with a little more focus. So I put on my headphones and got on the subway. What a difference. What initially seemed like aimless meandering suddenly took shape for me. It really is a kind of concept album. Sort of an odd and beautiful tribute to the mundane repetition of traveling through a pointless work day, including samples of TTC drivers calling out upcoming stops. It feels a bit like peeking in on someone’s mid-commute daydreams of hopes, plans and regrets. 

 Hickens’ voice(a fractured sound, carefully tip-toeing the line between Neil Young and Tiny Tim), only pops in when necessary, giving shape to the overall themes. 

 I don’t know how well any of these songs would hold up on their own. Their strength is found in context to the whole piece. I suppose ‘Something Else’ parts 1 and 2 are the closest things to a pop song, but that’s not what this album is about. Put it on, have a beer on your deck and enjoy a day away from the tedious grind.

Score: 8

- Greg Legros