Boyer's first album as a leader, 2013's Clarietta, is a strong debut that shows off his songwriting skills and treble-y singing voice to great effect, but also shows that the guy can kick up quite a storm of '70s N.Y. art punk-inspired noise.
Recorded with Edwyn Collins in London’s West Heath Yard Studio, there’s a distinct lack of reverb or dressing on the album, giving each of the 11 songs an ‘upfront’ sound, as if the band are actually in the room with you, singing directly into your head.
It’s a sensory experience throughout: ‘I’ve Got A River’ draws you in and wraps you up before ‘A Lion’s Way’ dizzies and sways into the ferocious, spitting-back-out pummel of ‘I Watch You’.
For all its unoriginality, ‘Clarietta’ more than makes amends with the proficient psychedelia of its groove-based jams.
There’s plenty of charm, and though a lot of it has been beaten to death with a revivalist stick before, it’s still a really fun record.