Suicide Squeeze
Released: January 23, 2007
The Six Parts Seven have always been recognized for their dense guitar interplay, including the subtle coloring of a lap steel, but Casually Smashed To Pieces has weaved in even more, including abstracted horns, a graceful Fender Rhodes, and even a touch of distortion. They haven’t changed musical direction so much as they have grown more confident, thus allowing for the emergence of techniques and instruments that don’t often find a home on instrumental indie-rock records. The end result is striking, with notes and drum strokes appearing like illusions, blushing listeners nerves.
“Stolen Moments” is the finest track start to finish, with trumpet, coronet, and clarinet sailing over guitar and keyboard fills. As all the notes begin to sweep together over the steady and soft drumming, our own nostalgia becomes vital to the music, liberally instituting each listener into the fold. And as the record moves on, there are moments of surprising aggression (“Knock At My Door”), impeccable pop structuring (“Falling Over Evening”), and bouncy resolution (“Everything Wrong Is Right Again”). It is in motion throughout, benign and swift in communicating many relatable sentiments.
Casually Smashed To Pieces is a narrative with deviating elucidation and varying effect. Beautiful and kindly combative, it draws blood from our memories, swelling and deflating as each track ends like our final conscious thought before falling asleep. It is a unique collaboration with the listener, rewarding in every second it sits with you.
-Kent Thompson
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