22/07/02 'The Gasoline Age' - East River Pipe

FM Cornog's affecting and deeply impressive fourth album mines rich seams of Americana - car culture, the seedier side of life, loneliness and, of course, the plight of life's losers. 

Framed within often achingly beautiful melancholic music, you can see the attraction of the car and the road as therapy and some sort of release from problems within and without.  In a way this reminds me of what Bruce Springsteen might do in a quieter moment.  The comparison is only fleeting.  FM Cornog AKA East River Pipe, records all the instruments that you hear and pours a gamut of insecurities, yet tempered by life's realities, into the mix.  

"Cybercar" is a shimmeringly beautiful song celebrating the escapist possibilities of the automobile.  "Party Drive" takes it's protagonists on a journey, any journey as long as they don't wind up home facing undisclosed problems.  And then there are little gems like "My Little Rainbow" that offer solace to the listener and feeds you the idea that Cornog isn't on a one-way trip to oblivion.

Listen to a clip of 'Cybercar' by East River Pipe
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My favourite track is "Atlantic City (Gonna Make A Million Tonight)" whose hopeless refrain is knowingly ironic.  The mixing on this track towards the end is technically superb and does not belie the home recording equipment used.  The eddies of the song give way to the sounds of one-arm bandits, coins and the background chatter of the casino.

Unsurprisingly Cornog has had the sort of life experiences that his music might suggest.  But that's for you to read about in the links and hear in the music.

Buy "The Gasoline Age" UK

Links:
East River Pipe Interview
Merge Records -  East River Pipe: Bio


Other recommended music;

03/12/02 "Born to Run" - Bruce Springsteen
30/08/02 "Second Toughest In The Infants" - Underworld
20/08/02 "Stuck On Love" - The Arlenes
05/06/02 "Viva! La Woman" - Cibo Matto
16/03/02 "Lanked Haired Girl to Bearded Boy" - It's Jo and Danny
17/02/02 "New Favorite" - Alison Krauss + Union Station
26/11/01 "Cold Water Music" - Aim
12/10/01 "Fear Of Fours" - Lamb
13/08/01  "De Stijl" - The White Stripes
20/05/01  "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" - Various Artists