Of Something Found: “Confused Reality” – a superb album!
Of Something Found formed in the summer of 2017 in Toronto, Canada. Their influences range from the Velvet Underground & Bowie to Joy Division & Radiohead. Their first album, “Confused Reality” which was released during January 2018 is available for purchase or streaming. Danny Bonomo grew up in Montreal and moved to Toronto in the mid 90’s. He plays guitar, composes, arranges, programs, mixes and produces. Hyphen Dom writes the lyrics and handles the vocals on all the songs, along with co-production. “Confused Reality” is a superb album. But you may ask yourself: What makes the album so great, is it the lyrics. Is it the style of playing? Is it the passionate vocals? Or is it the production? It’s hard to say why exactly, but all these factors form to make a great album.
You get to hear many, different sides of the band, as they make a blend of rapacious, melodic, alternative, and hypnotizing songs. On this album, almost every song could be considered a highlight, each one fantastically written and each one given an appropriate lease of life.
It’s a swirl of darkness, light and raw passion. Not many a band today could or even would do what Of Something Found do. That’s because they are a band that don’t make songs to just make songs. Each one is laden with a particular emotion and artistic twist.
“Confused Reality” is refreshing, thought provoking, and well done. It is the type of music which won’t lose its appeal once its fallen from the public eye, because Of Something Found’s musical approach is unlike anybody else’s.
There’s no denying that they carry a certain amount progressive-ness in their music. Not progressive in the sense of fifteen minute songs awash with guitar solos and walls of synthesizers, but progressive in the sense that the music really does seek interesting avenues, both lyrically and musically. Yet at the same time there is a strong retro flavor in the arrangements too.
The album is quite eclectic borrowing from new wave, rock and alternative styles. Of Something Found’s compositions here are not simple songs as much as they are musical meditations, or mini-symphonies that evolve more thematically and atmospherically than through any kind of conventional song structure.
Its challenging stuff, and often brilliant. And I’m particularly thinking of the three back-to-back tracks: “More and More”, “Dreaming” and “Is That Really You In There”. More convincing evidence comes from the stunning Peter Gabriel-styled art-rock track “Ever the Run”. In fact Hyphen Dom’s vocal timbre and phrasing is often very reminiscent of a younger Peter Gabriel.
The arid sonic landscape on “Chasing Crazy” unveils Dom’s higher register to formidable effect, while Danny Bonomo’s acoustic guitar drives the song’s momentum. Elsewhere, Of Something Found’s gifts are abundantly in evidence, as more affecting moments arrive with “C’mon Girl” and “Touch”. The former track, likening Hyphen Dom’s soaring vocal pitch to that of Yes’ Jon Anderson.
“Confused Reality” is the work of a set of mature, meticulous artists who doggedly stay true to a very idiosyncratic vision. Of Something Found challenges themselves and their fans to push popular music beyond its borders. For that, you ought to give this album a chance, no matter how prickly it may sound at first shine.
