There is something so remarkably subtle about Juniors and their debut, An Owl, A Riddle And Four Short Miles. So much so that it almost floats right by you before you have a chance to latch on. It was not until my third or fourth spin that the album finally started to sink in. The mastermind behind the Roanoke, Virginia band is 18-year old singer/songwriter Robbie Day. Here, he seems to be complimented with what looks to be a rotating cast of players (although on the band’s myspace it seems they may have settled on a band). Perhaps it is that variation in players that lends itself to the wayward spirit of An Owl, A Riddle And Four Short Miles. Album opener “Taliesin” recalls the grace and beauty of the great Andrew Bird…quite a way to start an album if I do say so myself. “Only Man” starts out as a more stripped down approach for the band. The song has a raspy M. Ward-like feel to it before the full band comes into carry it out. Camellia Delk makes her first appearance on “Only Man” and she might just be the band’s secret weapon. Her accenting vocal harmonies really frame Day’s frail vocal drawl. It is her feminine touch which brings to mind Broken Social Scene and their repertoire of female singers. No doubt this is Day’s show though. For such a young musician, Day proves that he is well beyond his years. At seven songs and only 15 minutes, An Owl, A Riddle And Four Short Miles feels a bit like a tease. Nobody likes a tease Juniors!
Genre: Indie/Pop/Rock
RIYL: Broken Social Scene, Annuals, Andrew Bird
Label: Self-Released
Arctic
