New York's Josh Ricchio (known by the stage-name 'Freak Owls') is the latest in a long line of artists to join the alt-country bandwagon with his sharp, lovelorn acoustic ballads and bright, organic musings on live, death and everything in between. So what sets him apart from the pack? Well the short answer is nothing really but that's not to say this isn't an intriguing, often enchanting record with something to offer, sometimes innovation is overrated anyway.
Abandoning the cryptic lyrics which generally typify 'this type of thing', Ricchio instead favours the more forward and relatable approach. The first line sang on the album for example is "sitting on the couch with you and a beer, silly as it sounds I'm happy to be here", not exactly profound I think you'll all agree but it's sang in such a sweet, softly comforting way it's hard to argue with it really. So it's not life changing and you'd be hard pressed to find much insight amidst all the carefree pondering but it's a bright, well arranged record which was obviously a labour of love. There's also a sparse, electronic slant provided by Kolby Wade which brings another dimension out of Ricchio's simple, infectious arrangements.
It's all very lovely but it's also rather slight with the wistful, summery numbers such as 'Hey, Na Na Na' and 'Optimistic Automatic' barely even registering. When Ricchio dials down the whimsy a little though the results can be startling, such as on the stark 'Paper People' which shares some of Joseph Arthur's otherworldly melancholy with it's haunted backwards effects and free-falling guitar patterns. The basic 'Belles' also balances a lovely, lilting melody against keening strings to pleasing effect. The lyrics may air on the side of cliché even here ("what does it take to love you baby" etc. etc.) but the sentiment behind it is convincing at least.
In all 'Taxidermy' is a brief (just under 30 minutes), pleasant slice of upbeat americana that will sounds great sound-tracking a BBQ but falls far short of the kind of emotional connection Ricchio's obvious hero Nick Drake (who's 'Place To Be' he covers here on the albums strongest track) was able to make with far less accompaniment. That's not to say it's an album without merit though and anyone in the mood for some uncomplicated, briefly captivating chill-out music could do far worse.
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