[rating=9.00]
Perpetually bedraggled, nothing but skin and bones, Ian Felice is hardly the picture of the titular leader of the band of brothers he fronts on stage with sibling James. But the initiative it takes to compose, perform and produce an album under his own name belies the elder of the two Felices’ persona as do the mystical implications of the record’s title, In the Kingdom of Dreams.
The circular guitar figures at the base of the title song are almost but not quite mesmerizing because of the disquieting images of the song’s lyrics, an unsettled state amplified via doom-laden echo on the electric guitar of “Will I Ever Reach Laredo.” Rather than continue to emulate the croak of Bob Dylan as he does on the first cut, here Ian’s voice turns sweeter at the very same time piano notes strike in the background; with the entry of skeletal bass and drums, a vivid picture becomes complete.
None of this utterly simple musicianship is far removed from Felice’s work with his Brothers, nor is the evocative nature of his lyrics. But then James and brother Simone, who drums and produces here, is right on board along with Josh Rawson, bassist for the band. All of which would beg the question of the rationale behind In The Kingdom of Dreams, that is, if the performances didn’t exude such a distinct sense of purpose: Ian’s lucid state of mind makes moot the source of inspiration. For instance, skewed imagery populates “21st Century,” the semi-drunken banjo accompaniment on the track turning its mood as charming as it is foreboding.
The intimacy of these recordings highlights the varied atmosphere within the respective cuts. “In Memoriam,” for instance, radiates that most haunting sensation of loss and it’s balanced by the poignancy of “Signs of Spring;” the sequencing of these two tracks next to each other among the ten total is the work of a creative artist paying close attention to the nuances of his work. In turn, that careful touch of subtlety belies the spontaneous air arising from In The Kingdom of Dreams, yet both attributes benefit the record.
That said, cuts like “Mt. Despair” are rough-hewn recordings bereft of anything purely pretty. As a result, music lovers (distinct from established Felices fans) looking for an easy listen may not find it here. Nevertheless, there’s just enough good cheer to sound genuine as on “Road to America:” not quite a high-stepping tune, there is nevertheless a discernible bounce here; in the drums as they connect with the harmonics struck on the guitar and, in turn, the deceptively frail harmony vocals.
When the bells start to ring near the end of this cut, the picture Ian’s painting noticeably broadens, as he vividly depicts the life he leads in “a new house at the end of Water Street.” Not surprisingly, In The Kingdom of Dreams refuses to play in the background so, long before “Ten to One” and “In The Final Reckoning” reverberate with drama both personal and social, it becomes impossible not to sit down and listen closely to what Ian Felice is saying. That’s why the cover painting of this album, evocative as it is, only barely intimates everything going on in the songs and the musicianship inside it.
