[rating=3.50]
Auditorium is the brainchild of Spencer Berger of Los Angeles. With a music degree from Vassar, and a background in opera performance, screen writing, and acting Berger’s diversity of interests appears to have resulted in a distinctive vision for his own musical output. His debut album, Be Brave, was recorded in private over a period of three years using only his voice and his fingers on electric bass and acoustic guitar.
Above all else Be Brave is unique as hell. There is drama and theatrics in Berger’s vocal tone and performance that recalls the glammy elements of David Bowie and Bryan Ferry. There are wonderfully creative, folksy arrangements across the album. Songs twitch and veer with a kinetic curiosity allowing the music to remain engaging despite an absence of drums or modern musical accouterments. By relying on an ability to write attractive melodies and play wistful guitar accompaniment, Berger creates a sound unlike anything else. Multi tracked self-harmonizing adds further depth to the strong vocal performance as Berger sings about “the bravery it takes to love” and the minefields along the way. Across all its tracks Berger imbues Be Brave with a sense of elegance and panache that hits high points on “If Your Girl Sings Loud”, “Saturday Solider”, “Sunday” and toward the end of “Oh, My Desperate Soul”.
Clocking in at 14 tracks but only 30 something minutes Auditorium’s debut comes out of left field, landing softly in your ears for a few fleeting moments. Sounding like folk music for Broadway and Morrissey fans, Be Brave is artfully constructed and eccentrically yet accessibly performed. A bold statement from an artist with a clear sense of self.
